A former teacher at an elite Massachusetts boarding school has been returned from Thailand to face child rape charges.

Rey Buono is accused of abusing 18 male Milton Academy students while he was the head of the theater department between 1975 and 1987.

The Norfolk County District Attorney's Office announced Tuesday that Buono had been indicted on three counts of rape of a child and three counts of rape of a child by force. News of those indictments had been sealed before Buono was taken into custody, the DA's office said.

"It is our understanding that the Department of State's Criminal Investigations Office in Thailand coordinated with the Royal Thai Police, who located Rey Buono," District Attorney Michael Morrissey said. "We owe our partners in federal law enforcement – and in Thailand – substantial thanks for their diligence and perseverance."

Buono will be held overnight at the Milton Police Station before being taken to Norfolk Superior Court in Dedham Wednesday. He is expected to be arraigned at 2 p.m.

Last February, the Milton Academy revealed the allegations against Buono involving at least 12 male students, adding that former headmaster Jerome Pieh "had some knowledge" of the misconduct, but that he took no action until 1987, when Buono admitted to molestation and was fired.

In October, the school announced that six more students had come forward with allegations of abuse or misconduct.

One of the victims, Jamie Forbes, told NBC10 Boston Buono assaulted him at the age of 14 during a school bike trip through Italy. After a night of drinking, Forbes bunked with the teacher.

"All of a sudden, his hand started roaming around on my body," Forbes said. "It was ... it was sort of ... it was a terrifying experience because I certainly felt like, 'What did I do to make him think I'd be interested?'"

Forbes said the abuse continued for six more months after his mother, not knowing about the incident, asked the school if Buono could be his adviser.

Assistant District Attorney Lisa Beatty will be prosecuting the case. It was not immediately clear if Buono had an attorney.