Sex offender extradited to Vernon

Wilbur Ventling is back in Vernon.

The sex offender is charged with sexually assaulting a Vernon girl in 1979 and was arrested in Nevada last December.

Ventling, 62, is accused of luring the Vernon girl from a community pool before attacking her.

He came to the attention of Vernon RCMP when he was also a suspect in the rapes of nine girls in Calgary.

After Ventling was arrested for the Calgary assaults, he fled to the U.S. by escaping from a psychiatric hospital.

He was released from jail in 2004 after being sentenced in 1980 to 20 years for attempted sexual assault in Las Vegas.

In 2005, DNA from the Vernon girl's clothing was submitted for testing and found to be a match to Ventling.

RCMP traveled to Reno, Nevada Saturday to take custody of Ventling.

He's due in Vernon court Monday.