A Morgan County man pled guilty Tuesday in federal court to faking his death.
U.S. Attorney Jay Town and Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General Special Agent in Charge Rod Owens announced the guilty plea in a statement.
Jackson Matthew Hall, age 28, of Lacey Springs entered his guilty plea before U.S. District Judge R. David Proctor. Hall pled guilty to charges of Social Security fraud and aggravated identity theft. The indictment was unsealed on May 21st.
“Mr. Hall thought he could get lost in Thailand and avoid federal prosecution,” Town said. “Instead, because of the hard work and dedication of the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General, the United States Marshal Service, the State Department, and the Morgan Country Sheriff’s office — justice found him.”
According to Hall’s plea agreement, Hall was facing criminal charges of first-degree rape and sodomy in the first degree in Cullman County. Hall’s alleged victims is a child under 12 years of age. Hall also faced an aggravated child abuse charge in Madison County. Hall had pending court dates in both counties in March 2016 and April 2016. Between December 2015 and February 2016, Hall used another person’s identifiers to obtain a social security card, Alabama Driver’s license, and a U.S. passport. He then faked his death and used those documents to travel out of the country.
In September 2017 Hall was apprehended in Koh Samui, Thailand, by Thai authorities. In October 2017, the U.S. Marshals Service, along with a Madison County task force officer assigned to the Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force traveled to Bangkok, Thailand, and took custody of Hall and transported him back to the United States of America.
The maximum penalty for Social Security fraud is five years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.
The penalty for aggravated identity theft is two years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.
If sentenced to prison time for these charges, he would serve his sentence in federal prison. Hall could also be facing time in state prison if he is prosecuted and convicted on the rape, sodomy, and child abuse charges.
The Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General, along with U.S. Marshals Service Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force, the State Department, and the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Davis Barlow is prosecuting.
