NEED TO KNOW
- Michael Wiseman, identified by the Scottsdale Police Department as its “#2 most wanted fugitive,” was arrested in France on Nov. 1
- The arrest comes after Wiseman spent nearly 14 years at large
- Wiseman was first arrested in February 2008 on multiple counts of sexual exploitation of a minor
An Arizona man charged with multiple counts of sexual exploitation of a minor has finally been arrested after nearly 14 years on the run.
Michael Wiseman, identified by the Scottsdale Police Department as its “#2 most wanted fugitive,” was arrested in France on Nov. 1, the department said in a news release.
Wiseman’s arrest stems from a 2008 case in which he was charged with multiple counts of sexual exploitation of a minor.
Following his arrest in February 2008, authorities allege that Wiseman cut off his ankle bracelet and fled the United States in November of that year while under court-ordered monitoring, the news release said.
Scottsdale police said that the FBI’s Phoenix field office was able to obtain an Unlawful Flight to Avoid Prosecution (UFAP) warrant, leading to Wiseman’s arrest in Spain in 2009. After being extradited to the U.S. and being sentenced in 2012, however, police say he fled the country yet again while out on probation.
Soon after, multiple nationwide extradition warrants were issued for Wiseman’s arrest, on charges of probation violation related to sexual exploitation of a minor, probation violation related to escape in the first degree, and failure to register as a sex offender.
Scottsdale Police Criminal Intelligence Unit (CIU) detectives said that Wiseman first fled to Vietnam, then traveled to Poland and later to France, where he was allegedly living under the alias Robert Danilewski, according to the press release.
In September, the Scottsdale CIU, in coordination with the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, submitted a Provisional Arrest Warrant to the Department of Justice Office of International Affairs.
After its approval, the warrant was forwarded to French authorities, who police said confirmed Wiseman was residing in Kilstett, France.
Upon obtaining a search warrant for Wiseman’s email address, Scottsdale CIU detectives say they gained access to Wiseman’s personal account in October 2025, which included “historical and current data and what was believed to be new child sexual abuse material (CSAM).”
The videos were confirmed to be CSAM involving Wiseman after being turned over to a detective in the Scottsdale PD Human Exploitation and Trafficking Unit (HEAT) and assigned to the Arizona Internet Crimes against Children (AZ ICAC) Task Force, police said.
According to the Scottsdale Police Department, the newly acquired CSAM contained evidence that allegedly indicated Wiseman was sexually abusing his adopted child.
This led to French authorities charging Wiseman with “rape and sexual assault of a minor under 15 years of age,” said the Scottsdale Police Department. French authorities are currently holding Wiseman for crimes committed there before extraditing him to the United States.
“Nearly two decades ago, this individual fled from accountability,” Scottsdale Police Department Chief Joe LeDuc said in a press release.
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“Our detectives never stopped working to bring him to justice,” the statement continued. “This arrest reflects years of persistence, teamwork, and an unwavering commitment to protecting children. We are deeply grateful for the FBI’s partnership and their continued support in this case.”
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