Suspected Child Molester Wanted - Arthur Leon Vitasek

January 2005 - Child reports being molested by Vitasek in Mesa, Arizona. Police are called.

2 days later - Vitasek and children disappear. An Amber Alert is issued. Children are returned but say they have been molested by Vitasek.

Vitasek is soon charged with around 30 counts of child abuse and molestation. They say he has been molesting boys for more than 16 years and that there are probably more victims that have not yet come forward.

Police believe the picture of Vitasek depicts his natural hair color.

His M.O.: Manipulates his way close to a family as a boyfriend of single moms, uncle, or friend. He helps pay bills and makes himself wanted and needed by the family of his victims, who in many cases are single moms.

He uses gifts and trips to amusement parks to gain the favor of his victims and to give him opportunities to molest them.

He convinces his young victims that the sexual contact between them is normal and even uses some of his victims to gain the trust of other children he can molest.

Vitasek tends to stay close to his victims for a long period of time.

He knows how to avoid the police who are after him. He used to work as a Skip Tracer tracking down people who owe money to collection agencies. He uses post office boxes and other methods to cover his trail.

Police suspect he has friends helping him and may be traveling under someone else's identity. The reason they suspect he has friends in several states helping him is that there have been so many false leads generated in different places.

Vitasek is a neat freak. He likes to dress and look sharp. His appearance is important to him. He may have died his hair and parted it differently since he knows the police are after him.

He's an experienced cook and mechanic, and may be working in the restaurant industry.

Police also learned that Vitasek avoids smoking and drinking and loves playing video poker. Police say that when he lived in Las Vegas, he often gambled at casinos, but preferred gambling at gas stations where he thought his odds were better.

Vitasek has expensive hobbies like scuba diving, and he may have taken flying lessons in order to gain a pilot's license. He also loves automobiles, particularly sports cars and classic cars. Police say he keeps his own vehicles in spotless condition.

In addition to Arizona and Las Vegas, Vitasek has also lived in Shreveport, La., Los Angeles, eastern Texas, Oklahoma and New York.

So these clues as to his habits may help you recognize Arthur Vitasek. If you see him, call 911 immediately. Do not approach him. People who know they are wanted by the law are sometimes very desperate and dangerous.

Most Wanted Blog