Escaped US Child Predator Captured in Ukraine, Sent Back to Arizona

A convicted Arizona child predator who dodged justice for more than 30 years has been arrested in Ukraine and returned to the United States, the U.S. Marshals Service said.

Daniel Brewster, 67, skipped his 1992 sentencing and fled the country after multiple child molestation convictions in Tucson’s Pima County Superior Court.

Decades later, he was found living under a false identity in Ukraine and has been held for extradition since June 2025.

On April 2, U.S. Marshals brought Brewster back to Arizona to face sentencing.

In a statement, U.S. Marshal for the District of Arizona Van Bayless said Brewster’s capture highlights the coordinated efforts of local, federal, and international law enforcement working toward a common purpose.

“We employed every available resource to hunt, locate, arrest, and return Brewster to Tucson so he can finally face justice,” Bayless said.

Pima County Attorney Laura Conover added: “After decades of waiting for justice, victims can now receive some degree of relief in knowing that he will never be able to walk the streets again and abuse another child.

“Now, with the defendant in custody and facing a sentencing range of 155 [years] to 281 years in prison, justice will be served for everyone affected by his heinous crimes.”

In December 1991, Tucson police began investigating reports of sexual abuse at a child care center run by Brewster’s wife on East Prince Road.

Detectives identified then-33-year-old day care employee Daniel Brewster as a suspect. 

The incidents, which occurred between 1984 and 1991, involved four children aged 4 to 9 who were under Brewster’s care. He was arrested on Jan. 1, 1992, and booked into Pima County Jail.

After posting bail, Brewster failed to appear for trial. Legal proceedings continued in his absence, and in November 1992, a jury found him guilty in absentia on 15 counts of child molestation.

After fleeing the country, he became an international fugitive, appearing on “America’s Most Wanted” in 1995 and “In Pursuit with John Walsh” in 2020.

In November 2015, the Marshals Service launched a multi-continent manhunt, following leads and investigating anyone who may have helped him, the agency said.

The search ultimately traced him to Mexico, where he is believed to have used an alias to obtain a passport before vanishing to an unknown location.

Authorities tracked leads across Tanzania, New Zealand, Australia, and Canada before locating Brewster in Ukraine in March 2025.

The investigation traced him to Kyiv Oblast, Ukraine, where he was arrested on June 25, 2025, by the Ukrainian National Police while living under a false identity.

On April 2, Deputy U.S. Marshals from Arizona took custody of Brewster in Poland, following his transfer from Kyiv by Ukrainian police.

In a statement, the City of Tucson stated, “We hope this arrest brings a measure of closure and justice to the survivors of these horrific crimes.”

In fiscal year 2025, the U.S. Marshals Service closed 1,763 transnational fugitive cases, coordinating with 142 countries and territories, according to the agency.

These efforts led to 966 removals, extraditions, deportations, or expulsions across 70 nations.