Derry rape suspect found in Mexico
A former Derry man who was charged in 2013 with the rape of a child has been found in Mexico and will be returned to Westmoreland County to stand trial, said District Attorney Nicole Ziccarelli
Ziccarelli announced Friday that U.S. located Efrain Fernandez-Nicolas nearly eight years after he was originally charged in 2014 with eight criminal counts including the rape of a child. According to court records, police reported they believed Fernandez-Nicolas fled the country during the initial stages of the investigation.
Court records indicate that a preliminary hearing was conducted in 2016 without Fernandez-Nicolas present.
Mexican authorities on Friday ordered his return to the United States. U.S. marshals were expected to travel to Mexico City to transport him to Westmoreland County, Ziccarelli said.
According to court records, police said Fernandez-Nicolas forced a 7-year-old girl to watch pornographic movies and sexually assaulted her during multiple incidents in 2013.
Rich Cholodofsky is a TribLive reporter covering Westmoreland County government, politics and courts. He can be reached at rcholodofsky@triblive.com.
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