Religious leader convicted of sex crimes disappears

TEXAS
KXAN

By Chris Sadeghi

Updated: Monday, May 5, 2014

AUSTIN (KXAN) – In 2011, a jury found Swami Prakashanand Saraswati guilty on 20 counts of indecency with a child. The key testimony came from three victims who detailed how the Hindu leader molested them for years at the Barsana Dham temple in Hays County.

But even after the guilty verdict was returned, a verdict virtually assuring the leader with thousands of devotees would spend years in prison, he was allowed to walk out of the courthouse that day on his own free will.

He has not been seen since.

In an In-depth report, KXAN examines how a man convicted of crimes against children was able to get away even after being found guilty. Hear why the district attorney believes a sizable amount of money may have helped Swami Ji keep his freedom and how U.S. Marshals are zeroing in on his location.

Watch the full story Thursday at 6 p.m.

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