$25,000 reward offered for man accused of faking suicide to avoid jail for child rape

(WSVN) – Federal authorities are searching for a man accused of faking his own death to avoid jail time for raping his 14-year-old stepdaughter

According to the U.S. Marshals, 43-year-old Jacob Blair Scott has been added to their 15 Most Wanted fugitives list.

“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.”

According to investigators, Scott faced a 14 count indictment charging him with sexual battery, touching a child for lustful purposes, and exploitation of a child.

Officials said Scott was out on bond, but failed to show up for a scheduled court hearing. Detectives eventually found his abandoned dinghy off the coast of Alabama in July 2018. They also found a gun and note.

However, detectives say there was very little evidence he took his own life, and his body was not found after a week-long search of the Gulf of Mexico.

Authorities later discovered he had withdrawn $45,000 from his bank account before his disappearance. That money was never recovered

U.S. Marshals say Scott is a survivalist and a military veteran who received a Purple Heart in 2011 for injuries he suffered while deployed in Iraq.

Investigators said his military background and knowledge of the outdoors may enable him to live off the grid.

Scott stands 5 feet 10 inches with brown hair and blue eyes. He has tattoos of a machete knife, scorpion and a compass with feathers.

There have been reports of possible sightings of Scott in Mississippi, Colorado, Nevada and Louisiana.

If you have any information on his whereabouts, contact the U.S. Marshals Communications Center at 1-877-WANTED-2 or online at http://www.usmarshals.gov/tips