U.S. Marshals Arrest Convicted Child Molester

U.S. Marshals have arrested a convicted child molester who raped a 15 year old girl in Switzerland and fled that country to hide out in South Florida. 37-year old Franklin Antonio Sanchez, a citizen of the Dominican Republic, was apprehended in Miami Beach today leaving his apartment. Franklin was arrested in Switzerland in January of 2002 after his wife’s niece complained that he was sexually molesting her. According to Swiss authorities, Franklin sexually molested the 15-year old on numerous occasions between May and October of 2001. Franklin was convicted on charges covered by the Swiss Penal Code of rape, sexual acts with a child, sexual acts with dependent persons, malicious damages, and sexual harassment. Franklin appealed his conviction, and was released on bond pending that appeal. Franklin then fled from Switzerland and his whereabouts were unknown.

Deputy Marshals discovered Franklin entered the United States from Zurich, Switzerland on March 27, 2003. Even though Franklin became a fugitive from Swiss law enforcement, he was sentenced to three and a half years in prison in December 2004.

In April of this year, Swiss authorities requested Deputy Marshals in South Florida to conduct a discreet locate to determine if Franklin was living in the Miami area. Deputy Marshals found Franklin working at a local hotel and living at an address of 1044 Pennsylvania Avenue #14 in Miami Beach.

Pursuant to an extradition treaty between the United States and Switzerland, the Swiss High Court issued an arrest warrant for Franklin, and requested the United States and the U. S. Marshals Service through diplomatic channels to locate and arrest Franklin. That Federal arrest warrant was signed by a U.S. Magistrate in Miami on November 30, 2006 and was forwarded to U.S. Marshals this morning.

Today, a team of Deputy Marshals located Franklin working at a hotel on Miami Beach. Shortly after Franklin left the hotel, deputy marshals spotted Franklin leaving his apartment in his 1995 red Ford Taurus and arrested him during a traffic stop in the 1400 block of Meridian Ave. Franklin was transported to the U.S. Marshals office in Miami for processing and will be booked into the Federal Detention Center in downtown Miami. Franklin will go before a United States Magistrate in Miami on Wednesday at 1:30pm to appear on the charges from Switzerland. Any suspect arrested based on a Federal Provisional arrest warrant from a foreign country will be held without bond pending the extradition back to the petitioning country.

Deputy Marshals have found that Franklin had been traveling between the Dominican Republic, Italy and France since he fled from the Swiss authorities. After his arrest, Franklin stated to Deputy Marshals that he had applied to work for the Miami-Dade County Police Department.

Any questions regarding this press release, please contact Deputy U.S. Marshal Barry Golden at (954) 214-0301.