Jesse Bussey, a former U.S. Army staff sergeant convicted in absentia of rape, indecent assault, and desertion, was extradited to the United States on June 8, 2026, following legal proceedings in Spain that began with a Spanish judicial warrant in November 2025, closing a nearly 30-year manhunt.
Bussey, 69, fled on September 3, 1996, the day his court-martial was scheduled to begin at Schweinfurt, Germany, where he was assigned to the 299th Forward Support Battalion, 1st Infantry Division. A military court convicted him in absentia and sentenced him to 16 years at the United States Disciplinary Barracks (USDB) at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He was also reduced in rank to E-1 and dishonorably discharged.
Army Most Wanted Fugitive Jesse Bussey (convicted of rape & desertion) was captured in Spain after 30 years on the run. Extradited thanks to Army CID’s Cold Case Unit, @USMarshalsHQ , @INTERPOL_HQ & Spanish partners. https://t.co/GBnh7uqQQl pic.twitter.com/nWc1hblBR9
— ARMY CID (@RealArmyCID) June 15, 2026
Investigators determined Bussey joined the French Foreign Legion under an alias in late 1996, completing his service around 2000. He later lived homeless in France before assuming the identity of a Nigerian citizen 18 years his junior, using the alias “David Osuji” to secure work as an English teacher in Malaga.
The case broke in 2024 when Senior Inspector Kevin Kamrowski acted on a public tip generated through social media outreach. Investigators positively identified Bussey in September 2024 following 14 months of coordination with Spanish authorities, leading to a Spanish arrest warrant in November 2025.
“The arrest and extradition of Jesse Bussey after almost three decades demonstrates our Deputy U.S. Marshals’ unwavering commitment to bringing fugitives to justice no matter how much time has passed,” USMS Director Gadyaces S. Serralta said. “This capture is a victory for the victims and their families who have waited so long for justice.”
https://t.co/GyXyh53xEc pic.twitter.com/PncsyBtdeE
— USMSNewJersey (@USMSNewJersey) June 10, 2026
Bussey is now held at the USDB at Fort Leavenworth. The USMS credited cooperation from INTERPOL, the Spanish National Police, the New Jersey State Police, the Dover Police Department, and the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID).
