On Thursday, a judge ruled that a former children's TV show host is the same former Cub Scout leader in the San Diego area, who fled when allegations connected him with sexually abusing children while on a camping trip. Shortly after the crime, the host fled Louisiana in 1979 to escape the accusations.
According to ABC News, the judge's decision was that the TV show host, Frank John Selas III, would be extradited to Louisiana where he has been on the wanted list for two counts of obscene behavior with a juvenile. Before he fled, he was famously known as "Mr. Wonder" after the TV show he hosted.
Now 76 years old, authorities discovered Selas in the San Diego area where he decided to settle in 1985 and had his name legally changed to Frank Szeles. In an affidavit, sheriff William Hilton argues that what led to Selas' arrest were his matching physical appearance, dates of birth, and Social Security numbers that he provided. Hilton had been working as a detective when he was assigned to work on the case in 1979. They arrested Selas at his home last month in Bonita, a suburb in San Diego. On his preliminary hearing, Selas kept to himself the entire five minutes. He is currently being held without bail.
Selas used to host the TV show on KNOE-TV in north Louisiana in the late 1970s. According to authorities, the host fled to Brazil in 1979 when parents complained about him for abusing their children while on a camping trip. When he settled in Bonita, he advertised swimming lessons and other activities for young children. He offered these from his home about 10 miles southeast of downtown San Diego. Selas, a husband and father, once served in Bonita as a Cub Scouts pack leader. He was also known to be an active Mormon member in his church.
