FBI-wanted American held in Phuket over alleged child sex abuse
Thai police detained Lance Beck, an American wanted by FBI agents, at a hotel in Phuket yesterday, August 29, over eight US warrants involving alleged sexual offences against children.
According to Thai police, 48 year old Beck is wanted over allegations that he sexually abused children under 14 and recorded the abuse on video. He subsequently fled to Thailand.
The alleged offences include sexual torture, rape, human trafficking, facilitating the travel of a child for an unlawful sex act, sexual abuse and incest.
The Royal Thai Police received a request for assistance from the US Federal Bureau of Investigation on August 27 to investigate and locate Beck.
Police said Beck was wanted under eight US warrants, comprising seven Alabama state warrants and one federal warrant.
Investigators from Bangkok’s Metropolitan Police, Immigration Division 3 and Sakhu Police subsequently traced Beck’s movements and established that he had entered Thailand through Phuket International Airport.
The investigation led officers to a hotel in Nai Yang subdistrict, Thalang district, Phuket, where Beck was believed to be staying.
At about 2.15pm yesterday, officers located Beck at the hotel and informed him that his permission to remain in Thailand had been revoked. Beck acknowledged that he was the person being sought, according to police.
Officers then took him into custody and transferred him to the Immigration Detention Centre ahead of his return to the United States for legal proceedings.
Phuket Times reported that Beck will be processed for return to the United States to face legal proceedings over the allegations against him.
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