Salt Lake City, UT - U.S. Marshal Matthew D. Harris, District of Utah, announces the extradition of fugitive Efren Ortiz-Gonzalez, on January 30th, 2019.
Efren Ortiz-Gonzalez, of West Jordan, Utah, had been on the run, since February 2010, after a warrant was issued in Salt Lake County for Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Child and Rape of a Child. After being charged, Gonzalez who was in the United States illegally fled to his home country of Mexico where he had been living in hiding for the last nine years.
In October 2012, U.S. Marshals Violent Fugitive Apprehension Team (VFAST) joined the search for Gonzalez with the request of the West Jordan Police Department. U.S. Marshals determined Gonzalez was hiding in Mexico, but his exact location remained unknown. A request for extradition was sent to the government of Mexico, however; Gonzalez remained on the run.
On March 14, 2018, after a lengthy investigation, Gonzalez was arrested by the Mexican Federal Police in Mexico City, Mexico. He remained in custody in Mexico until Jan. 30, 2019, when he was turned over to U.S. Marshals at the Mexico City International Airport by Interpol Mexico and the Mexican Federal Police and extradited back to Salt Lake City, Utah. Gonzalez was booked into Salt Lake County Jail and is awaiting criminal proceedings on the Aggravated Sexual Abuse and Rape charges.
The arrest of this violent fugitive represents the culmination of an extensive investigate efforts by the U.S. Marshals Violent Fugitive Taskforce, the West Jordan Police Department, the Mexican Federal Police, and Interpol Mexico. This case highlights the cooperation between federal and state agencies and the cooperation of the Mexican government to bring wanted fugitives hiding in Mexico back into the United States. U.S. Marshal Matthew D. Harris stated, “fugitives often think they can commit these heinous crimes in the United States and then escape to their native country, but US Marshals are determined to work with our international partners and give these victims of violent crime the justice they deserve."
VFAST is a U.S. Marshals multi-agency task force, led by Supervisory Deputy US Marshal Derryl Spencer, dedicated primarily to the apprehension of dangerous federal, state and local fugitives. Over 90 officers statewide have been deputized as Special Deputy U.S. Marshals. VFAST partners include:
* Clinton PD
* Syracuse PD
* Unified PD
* West Valley City PD
* West Jordan PD
* St. George PD
* Uinta Co Sheriff
* Vernal PD
* Sandy PD
* South Salt Lake PD
* Orem PD
* Department of Corrections- Adult Probation and Parole
