Man Charged in 2018 for Child Rape Extradited from Spain

Today, Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill announced the extradition of Carlos Espino Farfan, 36, from Spain, after evading authorities since he was reported to law enforcement for the alleged rape of a child in West Valley in 2017.

The victim-survivor reported to police that starting when she was 10 years old in 2017, the defendant raped her multiple times. Police believe the defendant fled to Peru immediately following the reporting of the alleged crimes. The defendant then went to Spain, where he was residing until January 2024, when he went to Spanish immigration authorities to request asylum. In March of that year, the defendant was taken into custody in Spain and has remained there since. The Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office filed charges against the defendant on March 6, 2018. This international extradition was initiated by the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office and is regulated by United States law and international treaty. Spain granted the extradition request connected to the charges against the defendant, and today, they turned the defendant over to U.S. authorities to be brought back to Utah. The defendant is expected to be in a Utah jail within 24 hours. The U.S. Department of Justice is responsible for transportation.

On March 6, 2018, the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office charged the defendant with four counts of first-degree felony rape of a child and one count of first-degree felony sodomy upon a child.

West Valley City Police Department pursued the defendant with the help of the U.S. State Department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security Services. Both the Federal Bureau of Investigation legal attaché in Spain and the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of International Affairs assisted in the extradition process.

"Although justice was delayed for this young victim-survivor, it will not be denied. We appreciate the West Valley City Police Department for their diligent pursuit of the defendant over the last seven years. I am proud of the work our prosecutors did in coordination with local and federal authorities to ensure the defendant could be brought back to Utah to be held accountable for his alleged crimes," said Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill. "All persons accused of wrongdoing are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law."

"I am grateful to see this day come. The unwavering dedication and relentless pursuit of justice by the officers and detectives involved in this case demonstrate their steadfast commitment to this victim/survivor," said West Valley City Police Chief Colleen Jacobs. "Their hard work and tenacity reflect the highest standards of law enforcement and the deep respect they have for those they serve."