A convicted child molester who disappeared for nearly 10 months before his sentencing has been captured in Arizona.
El Dorado County District Attorney’s Office and the FBI Sacramento Field Office announced Carl W. Cacconie was located in Scottsdale, Arizona, and apprehended without incident at approximately 9 a.m. on Friday.
Cacconie is expected to make his first appearance in Scottsdale and will be extradited back to California for sentencing.
Cacconie was convicted July 17, 2025, when an El Dorado County jury found him guilty of six counts of committing lewd acts upon a child under the age of 14.
His sentencing had been scheduled for Aug. 25, 2025.
An El Dorado County deputy district attorney asked the court to remand Cacconie into custody while he awaited sentencing, but the request was denied.
Cacconie remained out of custody on $1 million bail after previously surrendering his passport and being fitted with a monitoring device.
The monitoring device stopped transmitting on Aug. 17, 2025.
Authorities said Cacconie was last seen in San Francisco on Aug. 22, 2025.
Cacconie’s family told the court they had reported him missing and that he left behind his phone, wallet, and a suicide note on the day of his sentencing.
A federal arrest warrant was issued on May 14, 2026, in the Eastern District of California for unlawful flight to avoid confinement, in an effort to help locate him.
“We never stopped fighting for justice in this case. We are deeply grateful to our federal partners, whose collaboration was invaluable in locating and apprehending Cacconie. While nothing can erase the harm caused, we hope today’s outcome offers a measure of peace to Cacconie’s survivor and family, knowing that he will now finally be held accountable and sentenced for his crimes,” El Dorado County District Attorney Vern Pierson said.
“Carl Cacconie underestimated law enforcement and our commitment to ensuring justice for those impacted by his crimes,” FBI Sacramento Acting Special Agent in Charge Brian Tosh said. “Our task force officer with the El Dorado County District Attorney’s Office relentlessly pursued leads and worked closely with FBI Sacramento, FBI San Francisco, and FBI Phoenix field offices to ensure every possible tool, technique, and resource, was leveraged to locate and safely apprehend this convicted criminal.”
