Northampton man extradited from Ecuador on child sexual abuse material charges
He had fled to South America six years ago and was located through coordinated efforts by Massachusetts and federal law enforcement.
NORTHAMPTON — A Northampton man charged with possessing and creating child sexual abuse material has been extradited to Massachusetts after six years as a fugitive in Ecuador. Jude Demeis, 55, was arrested in Ecuador and escorted to Boston by U.S. marshals on Thursday. He is expected to be arraigned in Hampshire District Court at 11 a.m. Friday.
Northampton Police began investigating Demeis in 2019 after he allegedly shared a video containing child sexual abuse material on social media. A Hampshire County grand jury charged him in September 2019 with three counts of possessing child sexual abuse material and one count of posing or exhibiting a child in a state of nudity. He fled before law enforcement could execute the arrest warrant.
Demeis was located in Ecuador earlier this year through a joint effort between the Massachusetts State Police Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section and the FBI working with Ecuadorian authorities. The FBI's Office of the Legal Attaché in Colombia, the U.S. Embassy in Quito, and the U.S. Department of State's Diplomatic Security Service provided assistance.
"The capture of Jude Demeis should be a warning to fugitives everywhere: we will find you and ensure you face justice," Ted Docks, FBI Boston Division special agent in charge, said in a statement. "This is an example of how the FBI is leveraging its specialized skills, resources, and international partnerships to support the Massachusetts State Police in locating one of their fugitives."
Northwestern District Attorney David Sullivan said the case demonstrates how local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies can work together across jurisdictions. "There are no jurisdictional boundaries when it comes to pursuing justice," he wrote in a statement.