BC RCMP Arrest American Sex Offender on the Run for 20 Years, Return Him to US

American fugitive Louis Flood in a mugshot taken in 2000 and a picture taken by RCMP at his arrest in Creston, BC, in July 2022. (Handout via Creston RCMP)

RCMP in Creston, B.C., has arrested a convicted American sex offender who was missing for over 20 years, and returned him to the United States, police say.

Louis Edward Flood, a 77-year-old man from Boise, Idaho, was convicted in October 1997 of lewd conduct with a minor under age 16 and sex abuse of a minor under 16. He was sentenced to 18 years in prison.

Flood was paroled in 2001 after serving three years, but disappeared after failing to comply with his mandatory check-ins. Idaho State Police (ISP) later put out a warrant for Flood’s arrest.

In 2011, Flood was featured on the television show “America’s Most Wanted,” after he had remained missing for 10 years.

Flood’s whereabouts remained a mystery until RCMP in Creston, B.C.—just over 10 kilometres from the Idaho border—received a tip earlier this month that an American fugitive was in the area.

Searching for details, Creston RCMP Constable Dave Bickle contacted the United States Marshall Service, Idaho State Corrections, and the ISP, who tracked the information to Flood.

“I was contacted immediately after my initial request and [the agencies] provided me Flood’s records from 2001,” said Bickle in the release. “They outlined how he was not complying with his parole and they provided the warrant for his arrest. The agencies provided a photo from 2000 which I was able to use to confirm his identity.”

Creston RCMP arrested Flood and Bickle worked with Canadian Border Services (CBSA) to have a removal warrant issued for Flood’s return to the United States. After keeping him in custody at Okanagan Correctional Centre in Oliver, B.C., for several days, the CBSA handed Flood over to a U.S. Marshall Service Fugitive Transport Unit at the American border on July 25.

Idaho State officials said Flood will now serve the remaining 13 years of his prison sentence, according to the RCMP statement.

Bickle said Flood’s arrest was “a highlight” of his career.

“I never thought I would be involved with such an interesting arrest and to have the opportunity [to] work with so many different agencies,” Bickle said.

Creston RCMP’s Detachment Commander Corporal Evan Diachok praised Bickle for his work in arresting Flood.

“This was excellent police work by Constable Bickle. I am proud of how well he worked with all these different agencies,” said Diachok. Everyone pulled together to get Louis Flood into custody. I would like to thank our partners in the United States and Canada Border Services for their hard work on this file.