A CONVICTED child predator is facing extradition to the US where he faces charges of mass distribution of videos and photographs of himself raping street children.
The 40-year-old Cape Town father, was in 2002 convicted and sentenced to four years imprisonment, suspended for five, for possession of child pornography.
He was arrested this week by the Gauteng family violence, child protection and sexual offences unit at his Cape Town office.
Police were tipped off by Interpol about a US Homeland Security investigation targeting paedophiles.
US authorities began their investigation into the data capturer after arrests in that country and the discovery of several child-abuse websites. Investigators there learnt that the man, who allegedly distributed the images through his work and home computers, tutored teenagers maths after hours.
The man works at City Power Cape Town as an IT specialist.
South African authorities, acting on an international arrest warrant, now want the suspect extradited to the US where sentences for possession, distribution and manufacturing of child pornography are stiffer than in South Africa.
In the US, sentences for possession of child pornography start at 10 years. Gauteng unit commander Lieutenant-Colonel Heila Niemand said: "We were informed that the suspect, whose computer addresses originated in Cape Town, was wanted for rape and for possession, distribution and manufacturing of child pornography.
"In September, special agents from Homeland Security began corresponding with an internet user through an e-mail address. Through the chats, it was detected that videos and images of child pornography from this individual, some of which appeared to be self-produced, were distributed to the USA."
She said police established that the man had allegedly been preying on children over the past five years.
"His victims, two of whom we have identified, are aged between eight and 12."
She said during the arrest police seized four computer hard drives, five flash disks, two cellphones, two cameras, a video camera, 374 CDs and a desktop computer.
She said the man appeared in Kuilsrivier Magistrate's Court and was remanded in custody until next month for the start of his extradition process.
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