June 13, 2026
A California man convicted of multiple child molestation charges has been arrested in Arizona after nearly 10 months on the run, prior to his sentencing date.
According to the El Dorado County District Attorney's Office, Carl Cacconie, 52, was arrested by agents from the FBI's Desert Hawk Fugitive Task Force in Scottsdale, Arizona, on Saturday morning.
The arrest comes nearly 10 months after Cacconie disappeared while awaiting sentencing for six counts of committing lewd acts on children under 14 years old.
An El Dorado County jury found Cacconie guilty on July 17, 2025. However, after his conviction, he remained free on $1 million bail while awaiting sentencing.
Under the terms of his release, Cacconie was required to surrender his passport and wear an electronic monitoring device. Authorities stated that the device stopped transmitting on August 17, 2025.
Cacconie was last seen in San Francisco on August 22, 2025. He failed to appear for his scheduled sentencing on August 25, 2025, and had been on the run since.
On May 14, 2026, the FBI issued a federal warrant for Cacconie's arrest. After more than a month of searching, investigators located the suspect in Scottsdale and apprehended him without incident.
Officials stated that Cacconie will appear in court in Arizona before being extradited to California. In addition to facing sentencing for his prior convictions, he may also face additional charges related to his evasion.
El Dorado County District Attorney Vern Pierson stated:
"We never stopped pursuing justice in this case. We are grateful for the assistance of our federal partners in locating and apprehending Cacconie."
The incident continues to fuel debate in California regarding the practice of allowing individuals convicted of serious sex crimes to remain free on bail pending sentencing.
State Senator Shannon Grove is currently advocating for legislation that would require individuals convicted in serious child sex abuse cases to be immediately detained after a jury renders a guilty verdict, instead of remaining out on bail.
