Ali Achekzai, Serial Rape Suspect Captured in Austria, to be Back in Orange County Tonight

​R. Scott Moxley told you in January about the capture of Ali Achekzai, a onetime Ladera Ranch resident and alleged Southern California serial rapist who was found living in Salzburg, Austria, through a DNA match.

Tonight, the 32-year-old on District Attorney Tony Rackauckas' Ten Most Wanted list will finally be back on Orange County terra firma.

"This guy is the poster boy for a one-strike law," Rackauckas said at that January press conference Mox covered.

• Cops Nab Alleged Southern California Serial Rapist in Europe

He is scheduled to arrive at LAX on a flight from Austria this evening, Rackauckas' office announced. Their statement on the case follows:

August 27, 2010

INTERNATIONAL SERIAL RAPIST TO ARRIVE AT LAX; EXTRADITED FROM AUSTRIA AFTER INTERPOL DNA HIT

Courtesy of OCDA

Poster boy

​*Defendant was featured on the OCDA's "Ten Most Wanted" list

SANTA ANA - A man suspected of being an international serial rapist is in custody in Orange County after being extradited from Austria following a DNA match through INTERPOL. The defendant was featured on the Orange County District Attorney's (OCDA) Ten Most Wanted list.

Ali Achekzai, 32, formerly of Ladera Ranch, will be arriving at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) from Austria this evening, Aug. 27, 2010. He is being escorted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Tustin Police Department (TPD).

The defendant will be held in the Orange County Jail on $1 million bail and is subject to a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement no-bail hold. He is expected to be arraigned Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2010, in Department CJ-1, Central Jail, Santa Ana. The time is to be determined.

Achekzai is charged with two felony counts of forcible rape, two felony count of sexual penetration by foreign object by force, one felony count of aggravated assault, one felony count of assault with the intent to commit a sexual offense, and sentencing enhancements and allegations for committing sexual crimes against more than one victim and causing great bodily injury to a victim. The OCDA is prosecuting the defendant for rapes and assault with the intent to commit a sexual offense (see below) that occurred in both Orange and San Diego Counties. If convicted, Achekzai faces a maximum sentence of 68 years and four months to life in state prison.

TPD is the lead investigating agency and the FBI coordinated the extradition. The OCDA charged the defendant and a $500,000 arrest warrant was issued for him Oct. 19, 2004. The warrant was later increased to $1 million and Achekzai was arrested in Salzburg, Austria, on Jan. 26, 2010. The Federal Ministry of Justice in Vienna, Austria granted extradition on Aug. 13, 2010.

Achekzai's return to the United States will be funded by the FBI Project Welcome Home, which provides funding to facilitate the transportation of fugitives wanted by the FBI to the United States. It is anticipated that the federal government will dismiss the federal warrant charging Achekzai with Unlawful Flight to Avoid Prosecution in lieu of the OCDA prosecution.

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