Missouri girl missing for 4 months found in Colorado sex offender's home, police say

A northern Colorado sex offender is facing multiple charges after authorities found a missing girl in his home last month.

Maximilian Bondrescu is a 44-year-old registered sexual offender with a conviction from May 2019, per online court records.

He lives in Fort Collins and has most recently been charged with felony second degree kidnapping, sexual assault on a child, second degree assault, and false imprisonment, Fort Collins Police Services said in a news release.

He is also facing misdemeanor charges including having an incomplete sex offender registry, child abuse, harboring a minor, and obstructing a peace officer, police added.

Missing Missouri girl found in Colorado man's home, investigators say

Fort Collins police said the department has a Fort Collins Police Cyber Crimes Unit that specializes in child exploitation cases. On April 18, a Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force detective contacted the unit and said there may be a missing Missouri juvenile in the Fort Collins area.

Fort Collins Police Detectives honed in on a home in the city, then secured a search warrant for the property, the news release said.

"They immediately recognized that (the home) was tied to one of the sex offenders in their area," Boone County Sheriff Dwayne Carey confirmed to Paste BN on May 2.

Inside the home, they spoke to Bondrescu, who said there was no girl in the house. Once authorities searched the home, they found the missing girl.

Bondrescu has been booked into the Larimer County Jail. His bond has been set at $500,000, and he has a hearing at 8:30 a.m. on May 5, per online court records.

As of May 2, Bondrescu does not have a lawyer, the Fort Collins Office of the District Attorney in the Eighth Judicial District told Paste BN. Fort Collins officials did not immediately respond to Paste BN’s requests for comment.

Girl had gone silent online and told friends she was ‘in another state,’ reports say

The charges are in connection to a girl who was reported missing out of Boone County, part of the Columbia metropolitan area, the Boone County sheriff confirmed to Paste BN on May 2.

The teenager was first reported missing on Dec. 6, 2024, reported KOMU-TV and KDVR. It was her first time running away, and students at her school told police she mentioned running off a month before she turned up missing. At the time, she mentioned going to Colorado, KDVR reported.

Citing an arrest affidavit, KDVR said the girl’s phone and social media were “completely silent” since Dec. 6. Four months later in mid April, she allegedly contacted someone and said she was “in a different state.” The person she contacted told a friend, who then passed the information along to the police.

Investigators used the girl’s Instagram account and information from Meta to pinpoint an address associated with Bondrescu. 

Police: Man rented vehicle to cross state lines, pick girl up

Fort Collins Police Services said in the news release that Bondrescu allegedly rented a vehicle to drive to Missouri, where he met the girl and took her to Colorado.

Per the affidavit obtained by KDVR, when police showed up to his home to search the property, Bondrescu said there was no child at the home but there “may be an adult female.” Police found the girl hiding in a bedroom closet.

The girl told police she started talking to Bonrescu in November 2024. Bondrescu picked her up in the middle of the night, and once they got to his home, he wrapped her in a blanket and carried her into the house to hide her identity, KDVR reported.

According to the girl, two other people lived in the house, although she never met them because Bondrescu said they would get in trouble if they found out she was there, KDVR reported. 

The girl said she asked to go home in January and February, but Bondrescu said he had no money to take her home, per KDVR. Police asked the girl what would have happened if she’d left, and she said it was cold and she didn’t know anyone to ask for help.

The girl told investigators there was a sound machine in Bondrescu’s room so the two roommates wouldn’t hear them talking, KDVR reported. She also said Bondrescu took her ID and other items. Per the arrest affidavit, Bondrescu said he did not have sexual contact with the girl and said “she was only at the house for a few weeks.”

Man made girl work for snow-shoveling company, police say

The girl told police Bondrescu let her out and made her work for his company, FoCo Sno GO, which offers snow clearing and de-icing services, police said in the news release.

According to the girl, Bondrescu made her wear a mask while shoveling snow to hide her identity and age, police said in the news release.

“The importance of the work done by the Fort Collins Police Cyber Crime Unit, and similar units across the nation play a vital role in helping to keep our children safe,” said Fort Collins Police Assistant Chief Kristy Volesky in the news release. “Had it not been for the diligent work of these detectives, the juvenile could have continued to be victimized.”

Police ask that customers who hired Bondrescu's company, FoCo Sno GO, contact Detective David Guy of Fort Collins Police Services at (970) 416 2026. 

They also want to hear from others who may have information on the case.

This story has been updated to add information.

Saleen Martin is a reporter on Paste BN's NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia – the 757. Email her at sdmartin@usatoday.com.