Man accused of sex crimes in Tempe arrested in Texas after cutting off ankle monitor, police say
A man accused of sexual assault and aggravated assault in Tempe was arrested in Texas after cutting off an ankle monitor and attempting to live off the grid to avoid capture, Tempe police said.
Alex Bangash, 23, was accused of a series of crimes dating back to 2018, including seven counts of sexual assault, kidnapping, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and aggravated assault, Tempe police and the U.S. Marshals Service said in a news release on April 8. According to police, there were five known victims, including one person who was a minor at the time of the assault.
Bangash was first arrested in Tempe but was granted a $250,000 cash-only bond. As a condition of his bond, he had a GPS ankle monitor, officials said. On March 10, Bangash cut off his monitor and fled the state, officials said.
The Tempe Police Department requested help from the U.S. Marshals Service-led Arizona WANTED Violent Offender Task Force, which took on the case. The U.S. Marshals Service then traced Bangash's movement from Arizona to New Mexico and then to Texas, officials said.
When Bangash was located in Texas, he was working as a ranch hand in exchange for room and board, living off the grid, officials said. He was located and arrested on April 3.
'Alex Bangash thought he could hide from the consequences of his actions,' U.S. Marshal Van Bayless said in a statement. 'However, the U.S. Marshals considers the capture of sexual predators a priority, and with the cooperation of local and federal law enforcement agencies from multiple states and districts, he was found and brought to account for his actions.'
Bangash was awaiting extradition to Arizona.
'The successful apprehension of this suspect is the result of tireless investigation, coordination, and teamwork,' Tempe police Chief Ken McCoy said in a statement. 'This arrest brings us one step closer to justice for the survivors.'
Corina Vanek covers development for The Arizona Republic. Reach her at cvanek@arizonarepublic.com. Follow her on X @CorinaVanek.
Left behind: PS5 controller leads to arrests in string of ATM robberies in Tempe, Tucson, other states
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Police: Man cut off ankle monitor, fled to Texas after Tempe arrest
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