Aug 4, 2008 12:10 pm US/Eastern
Dad Charged In Girls' Abduction To Return To Mass.
Fugitive Father Appeared To Be Starting New Life
BALTIMORE, Md. (CBS) ―
The man known as Clark Rockefeller is in Baltimore awaiting extradition to Massachusetts after a frantic search for him and his kidnapped daughter.
Rockefeller waived extradition Monday morning and is in custody with Baltimore authorities, reports CBS station WJZ-TV.
Rockefeller appeared briefly in district court. He agreed to be extradited back to Boston to face charges related to the kidnapping of his daughter.
"Mr. Rockefeller was brought in on a warrant for extradition from the state of Massachusetts. That warrant is for non-custodial kidnapping and abduction of a minor child. That jurisdiction rests with the state. He was caught here in Maryland on Saturday. He was taken to the Central Booking facility and booked on a fugitive of justice warrant," said Patricia Deros of the East Side District Court.
But the true identity of Rockefeller, who has many aliases, remains unknown.
"He was very quiet. I only saw him for about 15 seconds, and the court hearing did not last very long," said Deros.
Sources tell WJZ-TV he seemed to have independent wealth that maneuvered through elite social groups through New York and Boston, even though he is not related to the Rockefeller family.
Authorities began an international search for him after they say he kidnapped his 7-year-old daughter during a visit with a social worker in Boston. Police say he pushed the social worker down and fled.
The FBI became involved in the search. Investigators believe Rockefeller may have tried to escape to South America or Bermuda on his yacht. But a tip lead them to Baltimore, where police learned he was staying in a rented house in Mount Vernon with his daughter.
Julie Gochar is the managing partner of Baltimore-based Obsidian Realty. She told WJZ-TV she knew Rockefeller as Chip Smith.
Gochar said Smith contacted her in late 2007. He said he was a single dad who wanted to relocate from Chile to Baltimore and wanted a two- or three-bedroom house.
In mid-July, he came to Baltimore and finalized the transaction by paying cash.
On Aug. 1, Gochar saw a picture of Smith in relation to a kidnapping and contacted police.
"Over the next 24 hours, we worked with law enforcement on a continuous basis until he was captured and his daughter was returned to safety," said Gochar. "On a personal level, I can only describe this development as surreal and emotional."
Gochar declined to answer questions, saying police asked her not to.
Police lured Rockefeller out of his home with a call saying a catamaran he just purchased stored at the Anchorage Marina in Canton was taking on water and he needed to head their quickly. The plan worked and Rockefeller was arrested and his daughter was safely recovered.
"I do not know whether Boston is here yet or not," said Deros.
Although the Boston police are allowed up to 30 days to retrieve Rockefeller from Baltimore, they could be there much sooner.
Jake Wark, a spokesman for Suffolk County District Attorney Dan Conley said Rockefeller could be arraigned in Boston as early as Tuesday.
(© 2008 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
