A U.S. citizen identified as Bernard Rials accused of sexually abusing children in the United States was arrested Wednesday at his home in San José's Barrio Corazón de Jesús, according to a statement from international police agency Interpol.

Rials, 44, had admitted to having sexual relations with several children ages 8 to 14 in the state of Washington. He was also convicted of illegal possession of firearms in the state of Florida.

After being charged with child molestation in 2005, Rials fled the United States, traveling through South America until he arrived to Costa Rica in March 2006, the statement said. He had been living here illegally ever since.

The U.S. Marshals Service, together with Interpol, found him in San José. He faces deportation to the United States.

-Tico Times