A Maryland man with an active felony warrant for sexual assault was arrested Thursday at the Peace Bridge border-crossing, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Port of Buffalo.

Bereket Mengesha, 46, an Ethiopian citizen who is a lawful resident of the U.S., was turned over to the Buffalo Police Department and is currently being held by the Erie County Sheriff’s Office, awaiting extradition.

Mengesha was entering the U.S. from Canada on a commercial bus returning to his residence in Maryland, according to officers. An inspection of Mengesha revealed the active warrant for strongarm rape of a minor with the Montgomery County Police Department, a first-degree felony in Maryland. Officers said they also discovered an additional charge for sexual abuse of a minor, also a felony.

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