Survivalist, 28, who ‘faked his own death to avoid trial for child porn charges’ is caught after SIX YEARS

A SURVIVALIST who police say faked his own death to avoid facing child pornography charges has been caught after six years on the run.

“The arrest of Jacob Greer after six years is a testament to the tenacity of Deputy U.S. Marshals and our investigative partners,” US Marshal for the Southern District of Iowa Ted Kamatchus said in a news release.

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“Even though the case went cold, they would not quit.”

Greer was last seen on June 3, 2016, at a Walmart in Montana.

He had been arrested in April 2016 on charges of receipt and possession of child pornography.

Court records, obtained by the Washington Post, show that the materials included minors under the age of 12.

Federal law states that possessing material depicting a prepubescent minor, or child under the age of 12, carries a prison sentence of up to 20 years.

The 28-year-old was released on bond and with an ankle monitor as part of his pretrial supervision. He was living with a grandparent in Des Moines, Iowa.

But on May 31, 2016, officials were notified that Greer’s ankle monitor had been removed.

A search for Greer ensued, and ended with officials locating his vehicle with a suicide note inside. His body was not found.

A federal arrest warrant was issued for Greer that same day.

Then, on June 8, 2016, another vehicle associated with Greer was located by the US Forestry Service at a campground in Montana.

But again, Greer was nowhere to be found.

It was later discovered that the survivalist had purchased the vehicle with money on loan from a friend. Greer had fled Iowa with money, a bow and arrows, and a backpack filled with survival gear, the news release states.

Investigators learned through additional interviews of Greer’s plan to “live off the land in remote areas of the upper western states or southern Canada, hiding out in abandoned cabins,” according to the news release.

Greer was located in Spanaway, Washington and arrested on Monday.

He is being held at the Federal Detention Center in Seattle and will stand trial in Des Moines.