CRESTON, BC — A man who has been missing for 21 years after fleeing the country and violating his parole has finally been identified as Louis Edward Flood. He was convicted in 1997 and sentenced to 18 years in an Idaho prison for lewd conduct with a minor under 16 as well as sexual abuse of a child.
Flood, now 77 years old, was found in Creston, British Columbia, when the Royal Canadian Mounted Police told the Idaho Department of Corrections Special Investigations Unit they believed Flood was residing in an assisted living facility under a fake name, IDOC spokesman Jeff Ray said.
The RCMP told the IDOC that Flood had disclosed his true identity to the assisted living staff in hopes of collecting Social Security benefits. The staff searched Flood's name and discovered he was featured on "America's Most Wanted" in 2011.
Back in 1997, Flood was sentenced to 5 to 18 years for the lewd conduct charge and 1 to 6 years for sexual abuse, to be served concurrently.
Flood was released on parole in 2001, but didn't continue contact with his assigned parole officer and never registered as a sex offender. A warrant was issued for his arrest, but authorities realized they couldn't locate him.
IDOC fugitive investigators tried many times over the years to figure out where the man had fled to, but made little headway, Ray told KTVB.
"Our fugitive investigators do much of their work undercover," Ray said.
The RCMP posted a news release with information on the arrest of Flood, where they said once they were investigating the man they reached out to Idaho for a picture to find out what the fugitive looked like. They finally were able to confirm his identity.
A removal warrant was issued for Flood’s return to the U.S.
On July 21, 2022, Canada Border Services transported Flood to the Okanagan Correctional Centre in Oliver, British Columbia, which is about 230 miles west of Creston.
Officials on Monday, July 25, drove Flood to the Peace Arch Border Crossing in Blaine, Washington, where deputy U.S. Marshals took him into custody.
"I never thought I would be involved with such an interesting arrest and to have the opportunity work with so many different agencies. This is a highlight for my career," said Constable Dave Bickle with the RCMP.
Flood will be serving the remaining 13 years of his sentence in prison in the U.S. He is currently being held in the Snohomish County Jail in Everett, Washington, Ray said. When he is transported back to Idaho, Flood will go before the Commission of Pardons and Parole for his parole violation proceedings.
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