Man Nabbed On Sex Charges In Bucks Co.

DOYLESTOWN, PA — A man has been taken into custody after he fled Bucks County in 2016 on domestic and sexual assault charges, the Bucks County Sheriff’s Office said Wednesday.

Elias Ortega, 40, of Bensalem Township, was extradited from New York City on warrants stemming from charges of alleged domestic assault and sexual assault of a minor, the Bucks County Sheriff’s Office announced.

Authorities said Ortega was in the country without legal authorization.

In October 2016, Ortega was arrested and arraigned for an alleged domestic assault. After posting bail, he faced further charges in December 2016 for the alleged sexual assault of a minor. A warrant was issued for his arrest, but Ortega fled before he could be apprehended.

The nearly decade-long search for Ortega concluded in May 2025, when he was involved in a traffic violation with the New York City Police Department (NYPD) in Brooklyn.

Upon providing his name, NYPD officers ran his information through their system and discovered the outstanding warrants from Bucks County.

He was taken into custody and extradited on May 27.

Ortega was arraigned by Judge Gallagher and is being held on $2 million bail at the Bucks County Correctional Facility.

"We are committed to ensuring due process for all while guaranteeing victims of crime receive their justice," said Bucks County Sheriff Fred Harran. "This apprehension is a testament to the relentless dedication of our law enforcement partners and the critical importance of intradepartmental police work across jurisdictions."

Sheriff Harran said that in 2016, a significant lack of programs prevented law enforcement from fully understanding Ortega's immigration status.

"Because of this, Ortega was able to allegedly commit another heinous crime in the very same community — this time, a sex crime against a 14-year-old girl. We need to do everything we can to prevent crime," Harran said. That means not allowing individuals to repeat crime after coming in contact with the justice system — especially when they shouldn't be here to begin with."