The Hawaii U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force on Monday morning captured a 64-year-old man wanted for allegedly sexually assaulting six children in his hometown of Spring Valley, Ill.
Task Force members found James A. McKee at 9:30 a.m. Monday at the Nuuanu YMCA, Deputy U.S. Marshal Matt Brophy said.
McKee was charged in November 2013 with one count of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child for allegedly sexually assaulting a boy under the age of 13, according to the LaSalle (Illinois) News Tribune and radio station WZOE. The charge carries the second-highest possible penalty for a felony offense in Illinois, according to criminallawyerillinois.com.
If convicted in that case, McKee would face a six- to 30-year sentence, and possibly life in prison, WZOE said.
That was the first of a number of sexual assault cases over a three-year period, Brophy said. The number of charges McKee faces was not available.
He was free on bail but failed to make his initial court appearance, and a warrant for his arrest was issued in June.
"He’s been on the run since June," Brophy said.
The Illinois U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force informed the Hawaii task force Friday that McKee had possibly absconded to Hawaii, Brophy said.
The Hawaii task force worked through the weekend, and due to the nature and number of McKee’s charges, he was at the top of its list, Brophy said.
Task force members followed up on leads, and one led to another. They found he was staying at the YMCA, conducted surveillance, made positive identification and arrested him.
McKee will appear this week in Circuit Court for a hearing on his extradition back to Illinois.
