A former youth baseball coach from Centreville accused of molesting five of his players has been apprehended in Poland.
John E. Hamilton, 39, was arrested by the Polish Border Guard on Wednesday. Authorities say he fled to Europe after being charged last year with molesting former players.
The players were between the ages of 10 and 16 at the time of the alleged sexual misconduct, according to Interpol. The incidents happened between 1992 and 2008, Fairfax County police said.
Hamilton was apprehended while traveling by bus across the Poland-Czech Republic border.
He was traveling under an alias, said Bill Sorukas, chief inspector with the U.S. Marshals Service. Hamilton was detained by Polish authorities because he refused to show identification and was evasive during questioning.
His identity was confirmed through fingerprints, Sorukas said.
Authorities started looking for Hamilton after he failed to appear for an October court date.
He had been scheduled to plead guilty in Fairfax County Circuit Court to charges of aggravated sexual battery of a child, indecent liberties with a child and crimes against nature with a minor.
Hamilton first fled to Germany with a relative from Northern Virginia, Sorukas said. At the time, Hamilton was out on bond and European authorities weren’t aware of the charges.
U.S. authorities are in the process of having Hamilton extradited. It’s not clear yet how long that will take, said Officer Tawny Wright, a Fairfax County police spokeswoman.
Police began investigating Hamilton in February 2009 after a former player, then age 24, contacted authorities, alleging that he had been molested by his coach when he was a 12-year-old player. The alleged victim said the acts took place in the parking lot at Carl Sandburg Middle School and at Hamilton’s home.
At that time, police said, Hamilton was youth baseball coach with the Fort Hunt Youth Athletic Association.
The victim told police that seeing Hamilton with a young boy motivated him to come forward.
Hamilton was arrested in May 2009.
Two more players came forward with allegations against Hamilton in June 2003, Wright said, and two other players later made additional allegations.
Police said Hamilton has held several coaching positions in Northern Virginia in which he had access to children.
After Hamilton fled, his case garnered widespread attention and was featured on “America’s Most Wanted.”
