MOORHEAD, MN—Mexican Immigration Authorities, along with FBI Agents stationed at the United States Embassy in Mexico City, arrested Curtis Lee Brovold in Cancun, Mexico, on Wednesday, January 12, 2022. Brovold, 67, was wanted for his alleged sexual activities with a 14-year-old Minnesota girl whom he met online in 2000. Brovold allegedly fled the state after failing to show up for a court hearing in Clay County, Minnesota, later in September of that year.

Detectives from the Moorhead Police Department along with FBI agents in Minneapolis Division’s Fargo Resident Agency developed information that Brovold, a former computer technician, was living in Cancun, Mexico. Working through the U.S. Embassy in Mexico, law enforcement authorities arrested Brovold without incident outside his home on Wednesday afternoon.

“The FBI has two things on its side when working fugitive cases: persistence and a very long memory. Both helped lead us to Curtis Brovold,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Michael Paul. “We must never forget that, behind each fugitive case, there is a victim who is denied justice. That is who we are working for and I want to thank everyone involved in catching Mr. Brovold, as they helped bring his victim one step closer to getting the justice she deserves.”

In early 2000, Brovold is alleged to have communicated with the victim mostly via the Internet for approximately six months. Then, in July of 2000, Brovold allegedly flew to Moorhead, Minnesota, met the teenage victim, and engaged in sex acts with her at a local hotel. He was arrested but failed to show up for court after posting bail. After absconding, Brovold was placed on the FBI’s Crimes Against Children’s unit's most wanted page (https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/cac).

“We are pleased that justice was not denied for the victim in this case simply from Brovold’s fleeing out of the U.S.,” said Moorhead Police Chief Shannon Monroe. “We are thankful for the assistance of the FBI and our foreign law enforcement partners who helped make this arrest possible.”

Brovold will be flown back to the United States and, after landing in Minnesota, is expected to be transferred to the custody of local law enforcement.