Polish Fugitive Living In Bergen County, New Jersey, Arrested By U.S. Marshals

NEWARK, N.J. – A Polish citizen living in Garfield, New Jersey, was arrested this morning by U.S. Marshals as a result of an extradition request related to his alleged involvement in a 1996 murder in Poland, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.

Rafal Kaldon, 38, is charged by complaint with being a fugitive from a foreign county. He appeared this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark Falk in Newark federal court and was detained.

According to the complaint:

Pursuant to a treaty with the United States, the government of Poland submitted a formal request through diplomatic channels for Kaldon’s extradition.

On the evening of Aug. 25, 1996, Kaldon and an accomplice allegedly entered a disco in Poland, walked up to a man, and without speaking to him, began to beat him until he collapsed to the floor. Afterwards, they continued to kick and beat him. Witnesses in the disco attempted to resuscitate the victim, but he was pronounced dead at the scene. Kaldon allegedly retrieved his passport and cash from his sister immediately after the attack and fled Poland.

U.S. Attorney Fishman credited U. S. Marshals, under the direction of U.S. Marshal Juan Mattos in Newark, with the arrest of Kaldon after being a fugitive from Poland for almost 20 years.

 The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca M. Sherill of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Newark.

The charge and the allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.