Ecuadorian authorities deported a 76-year-old U.S. citizen to the United States after his arrest in Cuenca on charges linked to child pornography.
David Bruce Buzzard was captured May 5 during an operation in the Gil Ramírez Dávalos sector of Cuenca and transferred to the United States two days later.
Investigators said the suspect had spent more than a decade avoiding prosecution in the United States. Authorities determined he entered Ecuador in 2015 after being formally charged in the Northern District of West Virginia in connection with child pornography possession allegations dating back to 2014.
The arrest followed an international investigation involving Ecuadorian authorities and U.S. agencies. Investigators reportedly traced the suspect through a mail forwarding service in North Carolina that was allegedly being used to receive and redirect correspondence to Cuenca.
Following his arrest, the suspect was transported to Quito, where immigration and diplomatic officials coordinated his deportation to the United States.
He was flown to Miami before being transferred into federal custody for transport to West Virginia, where the arrest warrant had been issued.
Authorities described the operation as part of broader efforts against transnational crime and crimes involving minors.