Wanted fugitive Michael Wiseman has been arrested in France for a 2008 case out of Scottsdale for multiple counts of sexual exploitation of a minor.

Wiseman was Scottsdale police’s second most wanted fugitive, and he is also facing new criminal charges in France, according to a press release from the Scottsdale Police Department.

According to the release:

Wiseman was first arrested in Scottsdale in February 2008, on multiple counts of alleged sexual exploitation of a minor.

In November 2008, while under court-ordered monitoring, he cut off his ankle bracelet and fled the United States.

The FBI Phoenix field office obtained an unlawful flight to avoid prosecution warrant, and in 2009 Wiseman was arrested in Spain, extradited back to the U.S. and pled guilty. Wiseman was sentenced in 2012 for his crimes, however, he fled again while he was out on probation.

New nationwide extradition warrants were then issued for Wiseman’s arrest for probation violation related to alleged sexual exploitation of a Minor (no bond), alleged probation violation related to escape 1st degree (no bond) and alleged failure to register as a sex offender ($20,000 bond).

Scottsdale Police Criminal Intelligence Unit detectives learned that Wiseman fled to Vietnam, Poland and ultimately to France, living under the alias Robert Danilewski, according to the release.

Since this discovery, Scottsdale detectives have been working with both the FBI Phoenix field office and French authorities to apprehend Wiseman for outstanding warrants related to the 2008 investigation.

By September 2025, Scottsdale Criminal Intelligence Unit detectives, in coordination with the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, submitted a provisional arrest warrant to the Department of Justice Office of International Affairs. The warrant was approved and forwarded to French authorities, who confirmed Wiseman’s residence in Kilstett, France.

Due to Wiseman’s active warrants and charge for fleeing, Scottsdale detectives obtained a search warrant for Wiseman’s email address so that his whereabouts could be known until his apprehension.

At the end of October 2025, pursuant to the search warrant, detectives gained access to Wiseman’s personal account which included historical and current data, and what was believed to be new child sexual abuse material was found, according to the release.

The evidence was turned over to a detective in the Scottsdale Police Department Human Exploitation and Trafficking Unit and assigned to the Arizona Internet Crimes against Children Task Force, where the videos were confirmed to be child sexual abuse material involving Michael Wiseman, the release said.

The newly located material that was processed contained evidence that Wiseman was engaging in the sexual abuse of his adopted child, the release said.

All information was provided to the FBI Phoenix field office, who assisted by contacting French authorities to report the sexual abuse of the depicted child.

On November 1, 2025, French authorities conducted an operation in which Michael Wiseman was taken into custody. In addition to the arrest warrant related to the Scottsdale investigation, French authorities have charged Wiseman with rape and sexual assault of a minor under 15 years of age related to the video recovered during this investigation, according to the release. Wiseman is being held by French authorities for alleged crimes committed there, prior to extradition to the United States.

“Nearly two decades ago, this individual fled from accountability. Our detectives never stopped working to bring him to justice. This arrest reflects years of persistence, teamwork, and an unwavering commitment to protecting children,” Scottsdale Police Chief Joe Le Duc said in the release. “We are deeply grateful for the FBI’s partnership and their continued support in this case.”