FUGITIVE PRIEST ARRESTED IN INDIA

Thomas J. Kneir, Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Terry G. Hillard, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department (CPD) announced today the arrest of SLEEVA RAJU POLICETTI, age 44, whose last known address was 6020 West Ardmore in Chicago. POLICETTI was arrested last week, without incident, by Agents from India's Central Bureau of Investigation in Hyderbad, India.

The arrest of POLICETTI was a direct result of information developed by the Chicago FBI's Violent Crimes Task Force (VCTF), which is comprised of FBI Special Agents, CPD Detectives and Investigators from the Cook County Sheriff's Police, under the direction of Sheriff Michael F. Sheahan.

POLICETTI has been the subject of an international manhunt since fleeing from Chicago in May of 2002. POLICETTI, who was a Roman Catholic Priest temporarily assigned to St. Tarcissus Parish in Chicago, was accused in a complaint filed by the Cook County State's Attorney of sexually assaulting a minor. Realizing that he was under investigation, it is alleged that POLICETTI fled to his native India in an effort to avoid arrest. POLICETTI was subsequently charged in a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District in Chicago with Unlawful Flight to Avoid Prosecution (UFAP), which is a felony offense.

POLICETTI remains in custody in India and will be subject to extradition proceedings in an effort to secure his return to Chicago.

The public is reminded that a complaint is not evidence of guilt and that all defendants in a criminal case are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

EDITOR's NOTE: A copy of the UFAP complaint filed against POLICETTI is available from the Chicago FBI Press Office at (312) 786-2645.