(CNN) -- Filmmaker Roman Polanski has been arrested on an arrest warrant stemming from a decades-old sex charge, Swiss police said Sunday.
The Academy Award-winning director pleaded guilty in 1977 to a single count of having unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor, acknowledging he had sex with a 13-year-old girl, but fled the United States before he could be sentenced. U.S. authorities issued a warrant for his arrest in 1978.

He was taken into custody trying to enter Switzerland on Saturday, Zurich police said.
Polanski has lived in France for decades to avoid being arrested if he enters the U.S. He declined to collect his Academy Award for Best Director in person when he won it for "The Pianist" in 2003.
He was en route to the Zurich Film Festival, which is holding a tribute to him, when he was arrested by Swiss authorities, the festival said.

Polanski was nominated for best director Oscars for "Tess" and "Chinatown," and for best writing for "Rosemary's Baby," which he also directed.
"Roman Polanski, who is one of the greatest film directors of all time, would have been honored for his life's work in Zurich today," the film festival said in a statement.
Polanski was accused of plying a 13-year-old girl with champagne and a sliver of a quaalude tablet and performing various sex acts, including intercourse, with her during a photo shoot at actor Jack Nicholson's house.
Nicholson was not at home, but his girlfriend at the time, actress Anjelica Huston, was.

My questions to you:
  1. has it been too long?  Should he be tried as well for fleeing the country before his sentence?
2. Why didn't  the French government ship him home? 
3.  Hollywood allowed him to work, recieve pay and nominations.  I'm sure someone knew where he was all this time. 
4.  What about Houston?  She was there and the rest of the article shows she made a comment on the victim's demeanor after the fact- so she knew about it.

My questions to you:
  1. has it been too long?  Should he be tried as well for fleeing the country before his sentence?

The victim says she wishes that it would be dropped because she's moved on.  If that is her wish, I think it should be honored (even if I don't agree with it).  However, I think he should be tried for fleeing the country.

Just my personal observation, but if he had been Joe Nobody and had done this, his ass would still be rotting in prison.

2. Why didn't  the French government ship him home?

Extradition laws.  France can deny extraditing one of their citizens to the US if they want to.
 
3.  Hollywood allowed him to work, recieve pay and nominations.  I'm sure someone knew where he was all this time.

Oh, everyone knew where he was, but like I said, extradition laws.  When he traveled, he made sure to stick to countries that wouldn't extradite him.

4.  What about Houston?  She was there and the rest of the article shows she made a comment on the victim's demeanor after the fact- so she knew about it.

Oh yes, she knew what had happened and she did make comments about the girl being "sullen" and "She did not look like a 13-year-old scared little thing", which I think is absolute bullshyt on her part.

I m in agreement.  I uderstand that France does not turn people over, nor are they required to.  But how does he work?  How do people with long lists of questionable actions get the crew and the money to get things done?