U.S. Border Agents Caught A Maine Fugitive Trying To Board A Frankfurt Flight

A man wanted on sexual assault charges in Maine was arrested in Philadelphia while trying to flee the country.

Maine Man Wanted for Sexual Assault Arrested at Philadelphia International Airport

Matthew Thomas Cooley, 41, of Solon, Maine, was arrested on Sunday, August 16, 2023, at Philadelphia International Airport.

Cooley faces multiple charges in Maine, including:

Gross sexual assault (2 counts)
Possession of a firearm by a prohibited person
Domestic violence stalking

Those charges were connected to crimes investigated by the Somerset County Sheriff's Office.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection Charged Maine Man For Pepper-Spraying an Agent

On Sunday, U. S. Customs and Border Protection officers arrested Cooley when he attempted to board a flight to Frankfurt, Germany.

Officials say that Cooley allegedly pepper-sprayed one of the officers who arrested him. He now faces additional charges of:

Assault on an officer (two counts)
Refusing to submit to arrest.

He was turned over to the Tinicum Township, Pennsylvania Police Department while he awaits extradition to Maine.

Officials say he was trying to flee the federal charges against him when he was taken into custody.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection Catches Wanted Individuals Trying to Flee from Police

Checking international passenger and cargo manifests against numerous law enforcement databases is a daily occurrence for Customs and Border Protection officers.

According to their CBP website, the department processes, on average, more than a million arriving travelers each day at airports, seaports, and land border crossings across the nation, and arrests an average of 37 wanted persons.