After more than a decade on the run in Mexico, the suspect in a Bellevue cold case was arraigned on Tuesday, Sept. 1 on charges relating to a 2003 rape of child.

In 2003, Victor Cerda was charged with two counts of rape of child in the second degree after he was accused of having sexual intercourse with a female cousin who was 11 years old at the time.

Shortly after he was charged, Cerda fled to Mexico. A King County judge issued warrants for his arrest when he failed to appear for his arraignment in September 2003.

Four years ago, Bellevue cold case detectives began working with the U.S. Marshals Service to attempt to locate the suspect in Mexico. After years of work and international coordination, Cerda was arrested in January by Mexican authorities at the request of the U.S. Marshals at an address in Jalisco, Mexico and extradited back to Bellevue.

“I’m very proud of the hard work of our detectives, the U.S. Marshals and our law enforcement friends in Mexico,” said Bellevue Chief of Police Steve Mylett. “Because of their hard work and cooperation, a suspected child rapist has been brought to justice.”

Cerda was booked into the King County Jail upon his arrest, and bail was set at $300,000. He was arraigned on Sept. 1 by King County Superior Court Judge Bill A. Bowman on the updated charges.

The King County prosecutor amended the charges during Cerda’s time on the lam to two counts of rape of a child in the first degree. The previous charge relates to cases in which the victim is between 12 and 14 years old, while the new charges apply to cases in which the victim was younger. Both are class A felonies.

An additional charge of violation of the Uniformed Controlled Substances Act was filed as a result of an unrelated case in which Cerda allegedly agreed to sell cocaine to an undercover police officer.

Cerda’s next hearing is scheduled for Sept. 15.