Chinese exchange student back in Milw., accepts plea deal
MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- A victory for Milwaukee County and the Franklin Police Department on Tuesday, October 22nd. After seven years of trying to get Tim Tse back to Wisconsin, they've done it. Now, the plan is for him to spend the next ten years in a maximum security prison.
Tse was a Chinese exchange student at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Back in 2006, he was accused of sexual assault.
The criminal complaint against Tse says he broke into the victim's house and stuffed a chemical-covered rag in her mouth. He's then accused of sexually assaulting the victim, hitting her, drugging her, and tying her up in the bathroom to take pictures of her naked body.
"This man's plan was to break into this apartment, to render the victim unconscious, to take photographs of her," said Chris Legal of the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office.
Tse was arrested for the crime. But after posting $100,000 bail, he fled the country.
Milwaukee County says it never expected to see Tse again -- until this spring when U.S. Marshals caught up to him in Hong Kong.
"They could see from a computer screen that we wanted him - did we still want him?" said Legal.
When Milwaukee County said "yes," Tse was extradited to the United States. He now spends his time at the Milwaukee County Jail where he sits with a $5 million bail.
On Tuesday, prosecutors agreed to drop the sexual assault charge against him. In exchange, Tse pleaded guilty to sexually-motivated burglary -- and he agreed to spend ten years in prison.
"We have a victim - who - it took 7 years - but has not gotten the justice she deserved and the justice will really come at sentencing," said Sgt. Kevin Magno of the Franklin Police Department.
Tse won't be formally sentenced until December. No matter how much time he serves behind bars, he'll be a registered sex offender for 15 years.
The United States does not have an extradition treaty with China. Tuesday in court, FOX6 News learned the defendant was caught jumping the border between Mainland China and Hong Kong.