Valdosta doctor arrested, extradited from Germany

VALDOSTA, GA (WALB) - Dr. Charles Rossmann, a former Valdosta obstetrician/gynecologist, has been arrested and is being held in the Lowndes County jail on outstanding charges from 2003, in connection with illegal abortions.

At a press conference today, Valdosta Police chief Brian Childress said Police responded to what was at the time Rossmann's office on Patterson Street in Valdosta on May 9, 2003.

Upon arrival Rossmann was nowhere to be found. They did find a female patient at the office.

"Doctor Rossmann had just performed an abortion on her, which was illegal, and that initiated the investigation by the Valdosta Police Department," said Childress.

"A few days later," Childress continued, "[the] Valdosta police Department, based off our investigation, obtained an arrest warrant for one count of performing a criminal abortion by Doctor Rossmann. During that time, we determined that Doctor Rossmann had fled the country."

According to Childress, Rossmann spent the next 10 years hiding out in various European countries until he was finally arrested in 2013 with the help of multiple agencies, including INTERPOL and the German Police.

"Last year we located [him] and Doctor Rossmann was arrested in Germany on a federal warrant by INTERPOL and the German Police," said Childress.

Rossmann was extradited back to Valdosta on January 10 of this year to face multiple counts of criminal abortion, drug charges and a FBI warrant for Unlawful Flight to Avoid Prosecution.

Detectives from the Valdosta Police Department along with an Investigator from the State of Georgia Medical Composite Board investigated the case and discovered many more issues which led to the multiple criminal charges against Rossmann.

In a press release today, the Valdosta Police Department said, in part,

"The Southern Judicial Circuit Office of the District Attorney was extremely instrumental in the investigation of Rossmann and his return to the United States.  Also, the FBI along with INTERPOL and the Department of Justice-Office of International Affairs, continued to work this case throughout the years and continued to investigate information collected internationally which subsequently led to the arrest of Rossmann."

The United States Marshal Service returned Rossmann to the United States and he is currently being held at the Lowndes County Jail pending judicial proceedings.

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