Convicted child predator from Montco caught in England

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Thursday, December 8, 2016
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A convicted child predator from Montgomery County placed on the FBI's America's Most Wanted list has been located in England after being convicted of a similar crime, authorities say.

The District Attorney's Office says Gerald Zalewski skipped bail in April 2006 prior to his sentencing hearing.

Zalewski, now 33, was located in Lancashire, England, Wednesday after being sentenced to 12 years in jail.

"Once the defendant serves his time in England, we want him back to lock him up," District Attorney Kevine Steele said in a statement.

Zalewski was arrested in August 2004 after police say he had several sexually explicit online chats with an officer posing as a 12-year-old. They say he arranged a meeting to have a sex with a girl who was actually an undercover detective.

During the investigation, police discovered he had previous sexual contact with a 13-year-old Bucks County girl he met online in June 2004 and additional charges were filed.

In November 2005, Zalewski pled guilty to involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and criminal attempt to commit involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, both first-degree felonies.

He failed to appear for his March 29, 2006, sentencing hearing and was sentenced in absentia to 5 to 20 years in state prison. New charges of flight to avoid punishment and default in required appearance were filed, which could add up to 14 years to his prison term.

The DA's Office placed him on watch lists, including the FBI's America's Most Wanted list.

According to the Lancashire Constabulary police, Zalewski groomed a 13-year-old victim over the internet, and had her send indecent images before arranging to meet her in the park in June 2016.

Police in England says Zalewski sexually abused the victim over several hours, including taping her mouth with masking tape, putting a dog collar around her neck and writing the words 'rape me' on her leg. He then took pictures of her on his cell phone.

Zalewski was arrested on June 21, 2016, after a manhunt.

He pled guilty in October to the charges in England and was sentenced Wednesday.

After being sentenced, the FBI notified the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office of Zalewski's whereabouts.

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