| For Immediate Release Case # 04CF3110
|
Susan Kang Schroeder Chief of Staff Office: 714-347-8408 Cell: 714-292-2718 Farrah Emami |
INTERNATIONAL SERIAL RAPIST TO ARRIVE
AT LAX; EXTRADITED FROM AUSTRIA
AFTER INTERPOL DNA HIT
*Defendant was featured on the OCDA’s “Ten Most Wanted” list
SANTA ANA – A man suspected of being an international serial rapist is in custody in Orange County after being extradited from Austria following a DNA match through INTERPOL. The defendant was featured on the Orange County District Attorney’s (OCDA) Ten Most Wanted list.
Ali Achekzai, 32, formerly of Ladera Ranch, will be arriving at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) from Austria this evening, Aug. 27, 2010. He is being escorted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Tustin Police Department (TPD).
The defendant will be held in the Orange County Jail on $1 million bail and is subject to a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement no-bail hold. He is expected to be arraigned Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2010, in Department CJ-1, Central Jail, Santa Ana. The time is to be determined.
Achekzai is charged with two felony counts of forcible rape, two felony count of sexual penetration by foreign object by force, one felony count of aggravated assault, one felony count of assault with the intent to commit a sexual offense, and sentencing enhancements and allegations for committing sexual crimes against more than one victim and causing great bodily injury to a victim. The OCDA is prosecuting the defendant for rapes and assault with the intent to commit a sexual offense (see below) that occurred in both Orange and San Diego Counties. If convicted, Achekzai faces a maximum sentence of 68 years and four months to life in state prison.
TPD is the lead investigating agency and the FBI coordinated the extradition. The OCDA charged the defendant and a $500,000 arrest warrant was issued for him Oct. 19, 2004. The warrant was later increased to $1 million and Achekzai was arrested in Salzburg, Austria, on Jan. 26, 2010. The Federal Ministry of Justice in Vienna, Austria granted extradition on Aug. 13, 2010.
Achekzai’s return to the United States will be funded by the FBI Project Welcome Home, which provides funding to facilitate the transportation of fugitives wanted by the FBI to the United States. It is anticipated that the federal government will dismiss the federal warrant charging Achekzai with Unlawful Flight to Avoid Prosecution in lieu of the OCDA prosecution.
Circumstances of the Rape of Jane Doe #1
On Jan. 31, 2004, Achekzai is accused of meeting 21-year-old Jane Doe #1 at a nightclub in Laguna Beach. Shortly after 2:00 a.m., Jane Doe #1 observed the defendant following her in his car as she was driving on Jamboree Road toward Tustin. The defendant is accused of following Jane Doe #1 as she drove around and attempted to get away from him. Achekzai is accused of pulling up near Jane Doe in his car and yelling for her to pull over because he wanted to talk to her about something important.