After nearly twenty years on the run, a wanted alleged paedophile has been apprehended thousands of miles away from his home. The Scottsdale Police Department in Arizona announced the arrest of Michael Wiseman in France. Wiseman faced multiple charges of sexual exploitation of a minor and was considered the department’s “number 2 most wanted fugitive” since 2008.
Following his escape from court-ordered monitoring in the US by cutting off his ankle monitor, Wiseman fled to France. The FBI intervened in his arrest in Kilstett, where he was reportedly living under the alias Robert Danilewski. Numerous nationwide extradition warrants were issued for Wiseman, including charges related to sexual exploitation of a minor, escape, and failure to register as a sex offender.
Scottsdale PD revealed that Wiseman fled through Vietnam to Poland before reaching France. In 2009, he was previously apprehended by the FBI in Spain, leading to his extradition to the US in 2012. However, Wiseman once again fled the country while on probation.
Coordinating with the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, Scottsdale’s Criminal Intelligence Unit submitted a Provisional Arrest Warrant to the Department of Justice Office of International Affairs earlier this year. French authorities were then notified and Wiseman was located in Kilstett. Detectives discovered incriminating evidence of child sexual abuse material on his personal accounts, leading to his arrest in France on charges of rape and sexual assault of a minor.
French authorities are currently holding Wiseman pending his extradition to the US. Scottsdale Police Department Chief Joe LeDuc commended the persistence and teamwork that led to Wiseman’s arrest, emphasizing the commitment to protecting children. He expressed gratitude for the FBI’s ongoing support in the case, highlighting the years of effort to bring the fugitive to justice.