Diplomatic Security's Role in the Arrest of Child Molester Thomas Koucky

Yesterday morning, the Bureau of Diplomatic Security learned that Thomas Koucky had fled the United States. We contacted the Arlington County Police Department to offer our assistance.

Last night, the Diplomatic Security personnel assigned to the U.S. Embassy in Guatemala located and positively identified Koucky in an impoverished neighborhood in Guatemala. Knowing that Koucky could flee at any time, Diplomatic Security personnel worked overnight with Guatemalan officials to devise a plan to apprehend the fugitive.

At 6:50 A.M. (Guatemala time) this morning, Diplomatic Security personnel and Guatemalan authorities walked up to Koucky ’s residence and persuaded him to surrender to local authorities due to the intense media coverage in Guatemala and the United States.

With the invaluable assistance and expertise of the U.S. Marshals Service, Diplomatic Security was able to arrange for Mr. Koucky ’s expulsion from Guatemala and return him to the United States this afternoon.

This law enforcement operation represents the highest level of domestic and international law enforcement cooperation--principally among Diplomatic Security, Arlington County Police Department, the U.S. Marshals Service, and Guatemalan authorities.

I would like to offer a special thanks to the Government of Guatemala for their outstanding assistance in this case.

The Bureau of Diplomatic Security is the law enforcement arm of the U.S. Department of State and plays an important role in assisting other federal, state, and local police with thousands of international investigations each year. With approximately 500 special agents assigned to U.S. diplomatic missions in over 150 countries, Diplomatic Security is the most widely represented U.S. security and law enforcement agency overseas. Due in large part to our ongoing partnership with the U.S. Marshals, Mr. Koucky  is one of 50 U.S. fugitives that Diplomatic Security has located overseas and returned this year.