A 76-year-old U.S. citizen living in Cuenca was arrested Tuesday morning and is expected to be deported to the United States to face child pornography charges filed in Virginia.
The man, identified as David Buzzard, was taken into custody at Casa Azul restaurant in San Sebastián Plaza before officers escorted him to his apartment on Calle Mariscal Sucre.
During the operation, National Police seized two computers, a tablet, and a cellphone from the residence.
Officials involved in the case stated that the charges originate in the U.S. state of Virginia and that the suspect is expected to be transferred to the United States.
Authorities also indicated that Buzzard’s legal residency status in Ecuador was current at the time of his arrest.
An immigration official involved in the operation stated that the suspect was considered a threat to public security based on the legal case against him in the United States.
Buzzard had reportedly lived in the apartment on Mariscal Sucre for four years.