Feds Track Ex-UNC Instructor Accused of Child Abuse to Caribbean

A former University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill instructor wanted on a half-dozen counts of sexual abuse of a minor is under federal custody in Miami.

The U.S. Marshals Service tracked John Dye, 48, of Durham, in the Dominican Republic late Monday. He is now awaiting extradition back to North Carolina.

Durham police said Dye's wife walked in on him having sex with a young girl.

During the investigation, officers found more than 400 explicit pictures on university computers of Dye and the minor.

For the last two years, Dye taught sociology classes at UNC-Chapel Hill during the summer sessions. He was also a research assistant at the university in 1996.

Police issued arrest warrants for Dye on Sept. 25 on charges of second-degree rape, crime against nature and four other felony sexual assault charges.

Investigators attempted to arrest Dye at that time but could not find him.

"He had hired an attorney. We had contacted the attorney who told us he was going to turn himself in," said Durham police spokeswoman Kammie Michael. "The next thing we heard was from the attorney who said he was no longer (Dye's) attorney and he didn't know where he was."

With the help of North Carolina's Cyber Unit Task Force, Durham police were able to track Dye's whereabouts through his computer activity.

"He went to Haiti and then he went to the Dominican Republic," Michael said.

Within four hours, U.S. Marshalls tracked Dye down to the Caribbean.

Police said that because of the pictures found on university computers, he could face federal charges.

University representatives declined to comment on the case, saying it was an open investigation.

Police said Dye works full-time as a professor at Nazareth College in Rochester, N.Y.. The school did not return WRAL's calls Tuesday.