The sex offender convicted of kidnapping and sexually assaulting 9-year-old Long Islander Katie Beers has been apprehended by authorities in North Carolina.

Salvatore Inghilleri, 54, of Bay Shore, was arrested by the Richmond County Sheriff's Department Monday evening. Richmond County officials say Inghilleri has been booked and is awaiting extradition to Long Island.

Inghilleri was released in 2006 after serving 12 years in prison for crimes committed against Beers. Earlier this month, Suffolk County authorities revealed they were unsure of Inghilleri's exact whereabouts. At the time, Suffolk officials believed him to be somewhere on the Island.

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