On Monday, Moss Point native Jacob Blair Scott admitted to devising a scheme to fake his own death off the Alabama coast to escape charges of sexual battery to a minor.
Scott, a former military veteran and Purple Heart recipient, pleaded guilty to sending a fake distress call, illegally transporting weapons across state lines, and giving false information.
On top of those charges, Scott has previously been sentenced to 85 years in prison for sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl and impregnating her. At the time, Scott was 40 years old. The victim stated that the sexual abuse occurred over 30 times and spanned between 2016 and 2017.
On July 30, 2018, Orange Beach police responded to a distress call, later finding a small boat one mile from the shore. Only a semi-automatic pistol and suicide note were found tied to the boat. The U.S. Coast Guard then conducted a search for Scott in the Gulf of Mexico for over one week, with the total operation costing $17,165.
It was revealed that Scott had created multiple suicide letters before his disappearance, with one requesting that his family members not change their phone numbers for one year. Scott’s written plea agreement also stated that he withdrew $45,000 from his bank account before he faked his death.
Eighteen months later, Scott was found living under the name of Lucas Marty Walding in an RV park in Antlers, Oklahoma, in early 2020.
Following his capture, Scott was transported to the Jackson County Adult Detention Center before being charged with the 14 counts of child exploitation in June. Now, a federal judge is expected to sentence Scott in November for attempting to elude his previous charges.
