HOUSTON – A man found walking through the Canadian woods was extradited back to Houston Thursday after he was accused of sexually assaulting a teenage girl, according to a press release from the Harris County District Attorney’s Office.
“This is a first for me, to see someone go as far as fleeing far north to Canada, attempting to seek asylum, that's a first for me,” said Joseph Sanchez, an assistant district attorney with the Harris County DA.
The man, identified as 41-year-old Aamir Khan, was arrested by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in November after sneaking into Canada from New York with his wife and son, according to officials with the District Attorney’s Office.
Sanchez said Khan tried to seek asylum in Canada after he was arrested, but was denied.
The 41-year-old was extradited back to Houston from Quebec Thursday afternoon.
Investigators believe Khan was in Canada in an attempt to make it back to his native country, Pakistan.
“It’s important that the victim in this case seek justice, and we want to make sure we get him back here to stand trial for those offenses,” said Sanchez.
Sanchez said the teenage victim was an employee of Khan’s at a cellphone store.
In Harris County, Khan faces charges of indecency with a child and sexual assault of a child and could face two to 20 years in prison.
Sanchez said bond decision is based on the judge, but added that they’re going to highlight that Khan is a flight risk.
“That would be poor position, since he has gone to flee another country and now that he’s back , we would consider him a flight risk and we would ask that the judge take that into consideration when making her bond decision,” said Sanchez.
Officials with the Harris County District Attorney’s Office said a date has not yet been set for Khan’s court appearance in the 338th State District Court.