Fleeing the country seems like an infallible escape plan when you’ve committed a crime in the United States, but it’s not a guarantee that you’ll never face justice. Depending on the nature of your crime, there’s a great chance that American law enforcement officers will be able to track you down, have you arrested, and get you extradited back to the states to face a criminal trial.
Such was the case for one escaped fugitive who thought he’d evaded US law enforcement for good while hiding in Singapore. According to the US Justice Department, the suspect, Jack Hsu, was convicted in a trial in Dallas back in 1992. At the time, Hsu was convicted of five counts of bank fraud and five counts of embezzlement. He was sentenced to serve out 33 months in prison, but he was allowed to stay free on bond until getting booked.
That fact turned out to be a huge mistake because Hsu took that moment of freedom to flee the country.
Investigators later found out that Hsu fled to Taiwan. For about 30 years, investigators have been searching for Mr. Hsu. On July 12, 2022, he was finally discovered in Singapore. He was ordered to surrender by October 11, and he did comply with the extradition request. By October 14, Mr. Hsu was on an airplane headed to Texas, and by October 17, he was in court.
Now, he’ll be expected to serve out his entire 33 month sentence in US prison.
Extradition to America: What You Need to Know
When you’re outside of US borders, it’s important to understand that the US government can still request that country’s law enforcement team to take you into custody. Considering that most other countries want to maintain a positive relationship with the US, they usually comply with extradition requests coming from American authorities.
Under international extradition laws, you can be taken into custody when the alleged crime you committed is also a criminal offense in the new country you’re discovered in. What’s more, any type of criminal offense associated with politics can also lead to an extradition. The reason for this is that no foreign country wants to be accused of harboring a criminal who was helping one political party over another in America.
In most cases, the U.S. State Department will issue an arrest warrant, evidence, and other documents to the foreign country and request that the foreign country act on the provided evidence.
Are You Looking for an International Law Expert?
If you’ve been arrested in a foreign country and you’re facing extradition, then it’s in your best interests to hire an international law expert ASAP. A good lawyer will help you understand your options.
Here at Bukh Global, our legal experts can help you navigate your criminal charges and any potential penalties that you’re facing. We understand how important your freedom is, and we also understand the urge to run and flee.
Let us help you face your charges once and for all. Schedule a case evaluation with us now to learn more.