FBI 'Ten Most Wanted' fugitive arrested in Montreal, Canada

May 14, 2007

In Montreal, Québec on Saturday, officers from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Montreal Police Service arrested one of the FBI's "Ten Most Wanted" fugitives.

Richard Steve Goldberg, living under the assumed name Terry Wayne Kearns, was picked up without incident in a Montreal apartment by police acting on a tip from the FBI's Los Angeles field office. An unidentified person living in Canada had recognized Goldberg as one of the FBI's most wanted, verified the information on the FBI's website, and then called in the tip to the FBI in Los Angeles. The FBI had offered a reward of up to US$100,000 for information leading directly to the arrest of Goldberg.

It was not clear how long Goldberg had been living in Canada, though he has been fugitive since 2001. Goldberg is wanted by police in Long Beach, California, on allegations that he engaged in sexual activities with several female children under ten years of age and produced images of the sex acts, which were subsequently found on his computer.

According to the FBI web site, the specific U.S. charges against Goldberg stemming from incidents that allegedly took place in 2001, are: sexual exploitation of children (production of child pornography), unlawful flight to avoid prosecution, six counts of lewd acts upon a child, and two counts of possession of child pornography.

Canadian authorities are holding Goldberg in Montreal currently on immigration-related violations. He is expected to appear in court on Monday. It is likely that extradition or deportation proceedings will be initiated in order to transfer Goldberg to the United States to face charges there.