Allegheny Co. DA's Office: Bail Denied For Israeli Man Extradited Back To Pittsburgh On Rape Charges
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PITTSBURGH (AP/KDKA) -- A judge has denied bail for an Israeli man who fled the country after being accused of raping a teenage girl in Dormont back in 2004.
Moshe Journo allegedly had been on the run for 15 years after being accused of raping the teenager. He arrived back in Pittsburgh on Thursday night.
Journo was remanded to the Allegheny County Jail following his extradition to the United States.
On Friday morning, his bail was denied, the Allegheny County District Attorney's Office reported.
Bail denied for Moshe Journo. Big Thanks to @FBIPittsburgh @alleghenybadge and @TheJusticeDept for their great work in apprehending this suspect and returning him from Israel.
— AlleghenyCountyDA (@AlleghenyCoDA) February 22, 2019
Authorities say Journo sexually assaulted a 15-year-old girl at his tanning parlor in Dormont in 2004. After he was released on bond, authorities say he fled the country and remained at large until he was arrested by Israeli police in December 2017.
"The victim's frustration over this. She was a very young girl," said Allegheny County Sheriff's Department Chief Deputy Kevin Kraus. "I understand she thought we might have forgot about her, we forgot about this case, and I just want to assure you that the law enforcement community in this region did not."
The 53-year-old Journo appealed his extradition. But FBI agents and Allegheny County sheriff's officers traveled to Israel this week to get him.
"It involves the legal attachés, the FBI agents in those offices, the State Department is a huge part, and then those host countries' law enforcement authorities, in this case the Israeli National Police. So all those people are working together," said Special Agent in Charge Robert Jones.
It's not clear if he's retained an attorney. He's facing state charges.
Journo will be held in the Allegheny County Jail.
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