Carl McWilliams arrested as a direct result of Unsolved Mysteries

[TJ]

You will remember this case was featured on August 6th, 2001.

http://www.journalpioneer.com/article.cfm?showid=3102

STATE COLLEGE, PENN — Sgt. Dana Leonard, official spokesperson for the State College police department, says it remains a mystery to his police force how a man, wanted on more than 20 sex-related charges involving children, has been able to elude capture for close to two-and-a-half years.
For all practical purposes, Carl Dean McWilliams, 53, formerly of Lemont, Penn., simply disappeared without a trace when charges were laid in August, 2000, said Leonard, in a phone interview Thursday.

On Monday, the search came to a dramatic end in the tiny community of Priest Pond, when RCMP arrested him after receiving a tip from a local resident Greg Kent, whose son Curtis, saw McWilliams on an episode of the reality TV series, Unsolved Mysteries.

"I'm told the RCMP identified him through fingerprints," said Leonard.

He was charged with one count of rape, one count of statutory rape, seven counts of aggravated indecent assault, eight counts of indecent assault and eight counts of corruption of minors — all involving two six-year-old girls. The crimes were alleged to have occurred in 1993.

He was already a convicted child molester, serving six years in prison for sexually molesting his eight-year-old daughter.

Leonard is hopeful the extradition process will be speedy. He doesn't want another six months, or longer, added to a two-and-a-half year wait.

McWilliams is to appear before the Supreme Court, in Charlottetown, today.

How does a man disappear so easily when almost any financial transaction can create a paper or a digital trail? was the question on the minds of many police investigators in State College, said Leonard.

"Disappearing in a modern culture is very difficult."

If the extradition process becomes bogged down in court, Leonard said he wouldn't be surprised if State College police officers were to make a trip to P.E.I. to gather more information and evidence in support of their request.

If the extradition is granted, it's likely a private security service, not police, will escort McWilliams from P.E.I. to Pennsylvania, said Leonard. Meanwhile, the family who identified McWilliams to authorities, resulting in his arrest by Kings County RCMP, is wishing the media spotlight had never fallen on them.

Greg Kent said his family has fielded numerous phone calls, including ones from as far away as Ontario, since the arrest.

The Kents were hoping they could stay anonymous, but that didn't happen and they feel a sense of betrayal, though they know they did the right thing reporting an accused child molester to authorities.

McWilliams worked for the Kents at the family's restaurant in North Lake painting and cleaning. McWilliams lived with another woman, who was also employed at the restaurant. All paycheques were issued to McWilliams partner.

He and his female companion arrived in the community a year ago, and blended right in. The couple were even to buy a $190,000 home without raising eyebrows.

"We're upset" about the media fallout, said Kent.

"We're living in a fish bowl...Our privacy is gone."

Sally Howell, the Los Angeles-based producer for the show, in a phone interview from California, said she was delighted a segment that was taped two years ago has led to the arrest of a man wanted on so many serious charges.

The show, which was moved from a major U.S. network, to the smaller Lifetime cable network, will likely air a small segment announcing McWilliams' capture.

Howell said she'd love to visit P.E.I. to conduct further research on McWilliams, but the show has finished filming for the season and the budget wouldn't allow it.

McWilliams is one of more than 300 "most wanted" persons apprehended by authorities after receiving tips from alert viewers during the show's 10-year run.

The program with McWilliams featured in home videos and still shots, was aired at least 10 times in 2002, said Howell.

The same episode can be aired three or four times a day, she said, expressing astonishment that a small community in P.E.I., with fewer than half a dozen homes, could receive the signal.

http://www.collegian.psu.edu/archive...03dnews-02.asp

http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?n...d=465812&rfi=6

[CrushedVelvet]

That's awesome!!!!!

[DK2]

I just saw this episode only a few weeks ago on the Prime Channel. Great to know it has done something from its airing.

[TJ]

http://canada.com/national/story.asp...D-4298B061CE5F

Fugitive sent back to U.S.

Friday, August 22, 2003

CHARLOTTETOWN -- An American fugitive, captured in Prince Edward Island is on his way back to the United States.

Carl Dean McWilliams sat quietly with two U.S. Marshals in the Charlottetown airport this morning before being ecorted onboard a commercial flight for the first leg of a trek to Pennsylvania.

Only a green jacket draped over his handcuffs set him apart from other passengers waiting for the flight.

The 54-year-old fugitive is wanted for 25 sex-related charges in the state.

A warrant for his arrest was issued in August 2000.

He was picked up on P.E.I. five months ago after neighbours in Priest Pond recognized him on the television program ``Unsolved Mysteries'' and called the RCMP.