Post by Scumhunter on Sept 22, 2014 9:21:20 GMT -5
(Above photo credit: amw.com archives)
Fugitive Profile as of September 22nd, 2014 (based on 2011 AMW archive):
Sex: Male
Race: Asian
Current Age: 39-41
Height: 5'7"
Weight: 140 lbs.
Hair (Color, Description, Facial Hair):
-Black
-Watanabe is typically clean-shaven.
Eyes:
-Brown
-Glasses
Traits and Habits:
Watanabe is considered a danger to children.
Last Seen:
-Seattle , WA
Other Possible Locations:
-India
-National
-California
-Seattle , WA
-Los Angeles , CA
-Japan
Who to call if you've seen him: Based on wanted location, our advice would be to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS or submit a web tip by clicking on this link: www.tipsubmit.com/WebTips.aspx?AgencyID=486
Cops: Seattle Family Has Foreign Exchange Nightmare
Daisuke Watanabe came to America in 1996 as part of a foreign exchange program set up between his college in Japan and the University of Washington.
Watanabe stayed with an American family living in Seattle for years. He lived with the family, even after he transferred to Oregon State University and eventually started working for a private business.
All the while, the adults of the household hosting Watanabe considered him a friend. But more than that, they considered him family.
But in 2004, the youngest child in the home, a then-12-year-old girl, made a startling revelation to her best friend. For the better part of seven years, since she was approximately 6 years old, Daisuke Watanabe raped her time and time again. According to reports, he threatened to harm her and her family if she uttered a word about the molestations.
When the young girl's parents found out, they were livid, repulsed and mortified, as any parents would be. The girl's stepfather confronted Watanabe about the allegations, and in response, cops tell us Watanabe just nodded. He quickly left the house, and moved out a short time later.
By the time investigators were able to file charges against him in 2005, Watanabe had fled to his native Japan.
Jetsetting Asian Businessman Disregards Child Rape Charges
Watanabe vanished for nearly six years -- until he resurfaced at Los Angeles International Airport in late November 2010, right around Thanksgiving. He used his real name to enter the country and was promptly arrested on the original charges of child rape and child molestation.
Pentel, Mr. Watanabe's employer at the time, wrote a letter to the judge. Therein, they requested his release due to his status as an essential employee to their international offices. Pentel executives guaranteed the judge that they "will make sure Mr. Watanabe appears at court in Washington State." The reason for requesting his release is "because he has high responsibility to manage and run our group company, Indo Japan Pen Mfg" in India.
The judge was convinced and allowed Pentel to post Watanabe's $50,000 bail. In addition, not only did the judge grant Watanabe's freedom, but he allowed him to retain his passport, traveling throughout the world as he pleases.
Upon his release, Watanabe promptly fled the country on Jan. 28, 2011.
Two months later, on March 29, Watanabe was a no-show for his case setting hearing in a King County, Wash., courtroom. He was immediately hit with a $2 million warrant for failure to appear.
As of April 2011, cops tell AMW that Watanabe is still the Managing Director of Indo Japan Pen Mfg., and his job requires him to travel between the United States, India and Japan.
While the girl cops say Watanabe molested is now an adult, she was devastated to hear of his release, and desperately wants him to pay for his crimes.
Thoughts? Watanabe was an AMW web-exclusive. First of all let me say whoever that judge was needs to be removed from the bench. That's nice that Pentel felt he was an essential employee but he alleged raped a little girl repeatedly and then became a fugitive who fled the country. Hello, obvious flight risk. How is Pentel needing him more important than children's safety? Add allowing his passport as well and while we've seen our share of idiotic judges in these fugitive cases unfortunately, this one might be in the top 10.
And how the heck was Pentel getting away with him running their divisions while a fugitive? This was of April 11th, so who knows about now, but they certainly didn't seem to care his whereabouts weren't known then or now. There was a change.org petition against Pentel but it's now closed.
While obviously Watanabe likely fled back to Japan, he did come back to the U.S. once and it's been three years so we need to be on the lookout for him in America as well.
Also, somewhat off-topic, but when I Google'd this case, I learned there are two other somewhat well known people in Japan named Daisuke Watanabe. One is an actor and another is a video game script writer. I don't know if Daisuke's name in Japan is like the equivalent to John Smith in America, but I just wanted to point out they are different guys that just happen to share the same name if anyone looks this case up so please don't call Crime Stoppers about them. But please do Crime Stoppers about the fugitive.
web.archive.org/web/20110907130755/http://www.amw.com/fugitives/case.cfm?id=77734#case
blog.seattlepi.com/seattle911/2011/03/31/seattle-police-looking-for-suspected-child-molester/
www.change.org/p/pentel-stop-hiding-out-a-fugitive-pedophile
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