Sex offender extradited to US
Samuel Silverman fled to Israel from US eight years ago after being convicted of sexual abuse of minors. Extradition procedure finally completed upon amendment of agreement between two countries
Samuel Arthur Silverman, also known as Abraham Cohen, was extradited Thursday from Israel to the United States. Silverman was convicted in Oregon for sexual abuse of minors in the late 1990s, but before a hearing on his sentence commenced he escaped to Israel.
His extradition was made possible following an amendment to the extradition treaty between Israel and the US.
Silverman, a former social worker and psychologist mainly treating children and teenagers, was charged and convicted of sexually abusing two minors who were friends of his son during the years 1995-1996.
The minimum sentence in the State of Oregon for such offences is 75 months in prison, however the US court granted Silverman's motion for a reduced sentence and he was sent for only four months in jail.
The prosecution appealed against the reduction and a hearing was scheduled for 2001.
After he failed to appear at the hearing authorities determined he had escaped to Israel, where he has been living for seven years. Silverman's extradition was delayed until now due to an amendment in the agreement between Israel and the US, as the previous agreement did not include his offences.
After extensive efforts to trace him in Israel coordinated by the State Prosecutor's Office with an Interpol squad and the Israel Police, he was eventually located and arrested in November 2008.
The Jerusalem District Court declared him eligible for extradition in April 2009. Silverman appealed the ruling with the Supreme Court but was denied. The extradition legal procedure was thus concluded Thursday.
