Nicholas Rossi is currently residing in Scotland, but the United States government has been attempting to extradite the suspect back to America to face rape charges. Unfortunately, the suspect’s mental health, the international aspect of the case, and difficulty in obtaining medical reports are all causing delays in Rossi’s trial.

Authorities in Utah first began to suspect the 35-year-old after an investigation into rapes in the area. Once police identified Rossi as the primary suspect, they issued an arrest warrant. Soon, they learned that Rossi had faked his own death before fleeing to the UK in 2020.

In December of 2021, however, Rossi fell ill with Covid-19. His condition became worse and worse until he was hospitalized at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow. Staff said that Rossi developed Covid pneumonitis and was the sickest person in the ward for a period of time. While receiving treatment, however, staff realized that Rossi’s tattoos matched the profile of a man wanted by Interpol.

Scotland Police officers were alerted to the situation, and Rossi was arrested once he was recovered enough to be given over to the police. According to court records, Rossi did not immediately admit who he was to authorities. Instead, he attempted to claim that he was an Irish orphan named Arthur Knight. He also claimed that the charges against him were a case of mistaken identity. Despite all that, a sheriff ruled that he is in fact Nicholas Rossi.

On top of the bizarre claims, there has been difficulty obtaining the medical reports of Rossi. Rossi’s solicitor, Stuart Murray, is making the claim that no psychiatrist is willing to perform a reasonable evaluation on the suspect because of the “media circus” around the case.

Despite all that, Rossi is still expected to attend a full extradition hearing, which is set to begin on June 26.

Are You Facing International Criminal Charges?

When you’re facing criminal charges, it’s a natural inclination to want to flee, but doing so has very serious consequences. While many people mistakenly believe that leaving the country will absolve them from getting caught, this is rarely the case, especially with the coordinated criminal databases shared between most governments.

International extradition is the process of transporting someone accused of committing a crime in one country to the country or territory where they were accused. This process ensures that the suspect faces justice in the courtroom local to where the crime took place. Extradition is treaty based, so in order for someone accused of a crime in the US to get extradited by a foreign country, the US must have an existing treaty with the country to request the extradition.

In general, the person will get arrested where they are, face trial, and then get surrendered to the requesting country to face a trial there as well. The extradition process can take months and sometimes even years, so if you’re currently facing international criminal charges, then you’ll want to ensure you have a legal representative by your side to help you navigate the situation.

If you’re facing international charges, then we can help. Schedule a case review with our best attorneys now to learn more about how we can help.