An Ann Arbor acupuncturist who skipped his sentencing 11 years ago after being convicted of sexually assaulting a female patient was arrested in Guam last month after he got off a flight from Hong Kong, police said.
Shouyu Chen, 66, formerly of Ann Arbor, is currently being held without bond at the Washtenaw County Jail, Ann Arbor police Lt. Mark St. Amour said.
Two Ann Arbor police detectives picked up Chen from authorities on the western Pacific island, bringing him back to Michigan on Aug. 6, St. Amour said.
"Obviously, he went pretty far to get out of the reach of the American justice system," St. Amour said. "It felt pretty good to bring him to justice."
St. Amour said he did not have details about Chen's activities during the past 11 years.
A Washtenaw County jury convicted Chen on March 26, 1999 of third-degree criminal sexual conduct involving force or coercion, court records show.
Prosecutors say Chen never showed up for sentencing on July 6, 1999. He was out on bail after his wife paid $250.
When he is sentenced Oct. 12, Chen faces up to 15 years in prison, Washtenaw County Chief Deputy Assistant Prosecutor Steve Hiller said.
Chen was arraigned last week on an absconding charge and is scheduled to appear in court for a preliminary hearing in that case on Wednesday, records show. If convicted of that charge, he faces up to four years in prison.
On Monday morning, two Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were at the county courthouse downtown requesting records on Chen, who is originally from China. ICE spokesman Khaalid Walls confirmed Monday afternoon that Chen has a federal detainer on him, meaning he can't be released from custody.
Proceedings will begin to remove Chen from the United States after both his criminal cases are resolved, Walls said. Prosecutors say Chen must serve any sentence he is given before being removed from the United States.
Chen's attorney, John Minock, declined to comment.
According to court records, the victim, who also is from China, turned to Chen for acupuncture treatments at BC Health Center on Packard Road in August 1998.
She had back pain and also hoped the treatments would help her with fertility problems, records show.
Documents say Chen sexually assaulted the 39-year-old victim during one treatment while kissing her and making sexual comments.
The victim not only pressed charges, but sued him. She was awarded $1 million in 2001 after he failed to respond to the suit, but it's unclear whether she ever collected any money.
Her attorney in that suit, Dean Googasian, could not be reached for comment Monday.
Lee Higgins is a reporter for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached by phone at (734) 623-2527 and e-mail at leehiggins@annarbor.com.
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