Director Roman Polanski was arrested in Switzerland Saturday, 31 years after pleading guilty to having sex with a 13-year-old California girl.
Polanski, a French citizen, fled the United States in 1978 before his sentencing for statutory rape. A warrant for his arrest was issued and Polanski has never returned to the U.S. since then. He has sought to have the case dismissed.
Polanski, 76, was due to receive a lifetime achievement award at the Zurich Film Festival in Switzerland when he was arrested Saturday on the outstanding U.S. warrant. The Swiss Federal Department of Justice and Police say the decision to extradite Polanski to the United States is subject to judicial procedure.
Earlier this year, a California judge demanded the Oscar-winning director return to America to apply for dismissal of the case.
Polanski was arrested in 1977 for “unlawful sexual intercourse” with Samantha Geimer. He was 44-years-old at the time.
Polanski, who was married to Sharon Tate when she and their unborn child were murdered by the Manson family in 1969, is currently married to French actress Emmanuelle Seigner.
