A Mississippi man has been added to the U.S. Marshal’s ’15 Most Wanted Fugitive’ list after he allegedly faked his own death to avoid charges.
Authorities are now offering a $25,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of 43-year-old Jacob Blair Scott, who is accused of raping his 14-year-old stepdaughter. Scott faces a 14-count indictment charging him with sexual battery, touching a child for lustful purposes, and exploitation of a child.
In July 2018, Scott was out on bond when he failed to show up for a scheduled court hearing. Authorities then found Scott’s boat abandoned off the coast of Orange Beach, Alabama. On the boat, they found a gun and a suicide note but little forensic evidence to suggest a suicide.
A week-long search of the Gulf of Mexico was conducted for Scott’s body, but his remains were never found. Authorities later discovered Scott had withdrawn $45,000 from a bank account before his disappearance. The money was never recovered.
“Jacob Scott stands accused of unspeakable crimes against a child,” said U.S. Marshals Service Director Donald Washington. “The Marshals will leave no stone unturned until we bring him to justice.”
Scott is described as a 5’10 white male weighing around 225 pounds with brown hair and blue eyes. He is a survivalist and a military veteran who received a Purple Heart in 2011 for injuries he sustained while deployed in Iraq. His military background and knowledge of the outdoors may enable him to live off the grid. His unique physical characteristics include tattoos of a machete knife, scorpion, and a compass with feathers.
There have been reported possible sightings of Scott in Mississippi, Colorado, Nevada, and Louisiana. Anyone with information should notify the agency at the nearest U.S. Marshals office, the Communications Center at 1-877-WANTED-2, online via the web, or an app at www.usmarshals.gov/tips.
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