SURPRISE, Ariz. A 40-year-old Surprise man accused of sexually assaulting a juvenile family member was returned to Arizona from the United Kingdom and booked into jail, according to a Surprise Police Department announcement issued Sept. 8.
Police identified the suspect as Michael Munufie. Authorities said he left the United States early in the investigation, traveled through Canada and reached the United Kingdom before he was detained with help from British authorities and the U.S. Marshals Service.
U.S. marshals brought Munufie back to the United States on Aug. 28. Surprise detectives took custody of him at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport and booked him into a Maricopa County jail, police said.
Munufie is accused of three counts of sexual conduct with a minor, each described by police as a Class 2 felony, and three counts of sexual abuse, each described as a Class 5 felony. He was being held on a $150,000 cash-only bond as of Sept. 8, according to Arizona’s Family.
The accusations have not been proven in court. A criminal charge is an allegation, and defendants are presumed innocent unless convicted.
International coordination brought suspect back
Surprise police said detectives referred the case to the U.S. Marshals Service after Munufie left the country. The federal agency then coordinated with law enforcement in the United Kingdom to locate and detain him while the extradition process proceeded.
The Sept. 8 announcement did not specify when Munufie left Arizona, where he was detained in the United Kingdom or how long the extradition process took. It also did not identify the juvenile or provide details that could reveal the victim’s identity.
Surprise Police Chief Evan Becher credited the department’s detectives and the agencies involved in returning Munufie. U.S. Marshal Van Bayless said the arrest resulted from cooperation among investigators in multiple countries.
The case marks a completed international return, not a conviction. The next steps will occur through the Maricopa County court system, where prosecutors must prove any filed charges beyond a reasonable doubt.
What remains unresolved
The police department said its investigation remains active. The public announcement did not provide a court case number, plea, trial schedule or details about legal representation for Munufie.
FOX 10 Phoenix also reported the Aug. 28 return, the six alleged counts and the $150,000 bond, citing Surprise police.
Featured image: AI-generated editorial illustration. It is symbolic and does not depict the suspect, victim, arrest, transportation route or an actual courthouse.
