After close to twenty years on the run, a wanted alleged paedophile has been apprehended in France, far from his original location, by the Scottsdale Police Department in Scottsdale, Arizona. The suspect, identified as Michael Wiseman, faced multiple charges related to the sexual exploitation of a minor. Wiseman, who had been under court-ordered monitoring, escaped from the US by cutting off his ankle monitor. The FBI intervened in his capture in France.
Wiseman’s journey to evade capture took him through Vietnam, Poland, and eventually to France, where he was living under the alias Robert Danilewski. Several nationwide extradition warrants were issued for his arrest, including charges of probation violation and failure to register as a sex offender.
This was not the first time Wiseman had evaded authorities. In 2009, he was arrested in Spain by the FBI’s Phoenix office and extradited to the US. However, he fled the country again while on probation. Scottsdale’s law enforcement agencies, alongside the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, worked together to secure a Provisional Arrest Warrant, leading to Wiseman’s eventual arrest in France.
Further investigations revealed disturbing evidence of child sexual abuse in Wiseman’s possession. Videos depicting the abuse were turned over to the Human Exploitation and Trafficking Unit (HEAT). French authorities subsequently charged Wiseman with rape and sexual assault of a minor under 15 years of age.
Wiseman is currently in custody in France, awaiting extradition back to the US. The Scottsdale Police Department commended the persistence and collaborative effort that led to Wiseman’s arrest, emphasizing the commitment to safeguarding children. Chief Joe LeDuc expressed gratitude for the FBI’s support throughout the case.