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  1. #81

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    Ok, just saw your home made emoji, not sure if that was a sarcastic furrowed brow?

  2. #82

    Default Feds Seek 7-Year Term For Appalachian Trail-Hiking Fugitive - LEX18 Lexington KY News


    Feds Seek 7-Year Term For Appalachian Trail-Hiking Fugitive
    LEX18 Lexington KY News
    CINCINNATI (AP) - Federal prosecutors want a prison term of more than seven years for an embezzling accountant from Kentucky who spent much of his six years as a fugitive hiking the Appalachian Trail. James Hammes pleaded guilty last year to wire fraud ...

    and more »


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  3. #83

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    Quote Originally Posted by Mags View Post
    I think we are zeroing in too much on the alternative trails idea too much. And missing the main point..why a well established trail that is on the radar? Just my .05 worth.

    Any long trail, and the culture on it, in this day of social media, is going to stand out...at least since oh say 2010 or 2011. Add in the interest in long hikes in general as well and it is head scratcher.

    There are many places in the lower 48, esp out West, where people go to get away. And people pay no mind. Eccentrics and a loner? Just another person in a small desert town who wants no questions asked. Go to Alaska or better yet, abroad? Even better. I imagine $9 million dollar can get a person out of the country AND establish a new life.

    People have done it with less resources and longer.

    http://www.pennlive.com/projects/201...rs-on-the-run/
    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...ommunity.html\

    and so on...

    But if you insert yourself and become part of a mainly affluent, and perhaps more importantly a very plugged in and tight knit social community that is the bulk of the long distance tribe, sooner or later you are going to get noticed.

    Probably better ways to go under the radar than hiking one of the most famous walking paths in the world.

    Of course, we are trying to apply logic to a person who abandoned his family, stole $9 million and was on the run for six years.

    It may be because living a life on the run is hard work. Leaving a previous life behind is no easy task. Most try to reenter or recontact to something from their past lives. Humans are social creatures of familiarity. It may be in the end it shows that he does have a conscious, was possibly coming around to atonement, and wanted the charade to end but couldn't personally bring himself to task to turn himself in wanting to prolong it for just awhile longer knowing he faced a lengthy prison sentence. Maybe, he was getting tired of running and subconsciously wanted to get caught so got complacent. Even IF he had $9 million that kind of money still is no guarantee of slipping through the cracks when the FBI is after you for murder, $9 million embezzlement, and the circumstances in which this happened over 10 yrs. Then, he runs. That's one of the biggest insults to the judicial system it does not take lightly. The FBI goes into predator prey mode AND they are good at catching people who don't want to be caught.

    In 7 yrs maybe we'll see a book, 'How I Escaped to the Appalachian Trail for 6 yrs: Memoirs of a Reformed Embezzler'

    Wonder how many times around the prison yard track equals 2170 miles?

    Judging or trying anyone based solely on media and second hand LE accounts is ridiculously biased.

    Seriously, hope the hiking experiences helped him gain some clarity of how he gets this behind him. He has a lot to answer for.

  4. #84

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    Supposedly the Sundance Kid writing a letter back home to his family is what tipped off the Pinkerton's and led him and Butch Cassidy to having to leave their peaceful ranch life in Argentina and their eventual fate in Bolivia.
    The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
    Richard Ewell, CSA General


  5. #85
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tuckahoe View Post
    Probably not, as a number of news outlest reported that the hiker that alerted authorities was from Mississippi.

    Here's a supposed interview with the hiker -- http://appalachiantrials.com/exclusi...ismark-hammes/
    Ah, I had missed that Mississippi detail. I was curious to see no comment on this thread from BJ and wondered if some sort of warning bells went off in his fine-tuned brain...He of all hikers woud have had many opportunities to cross paths with Bismark over his 6 year fugitive oddysey.

  6. #86
    279.6 Miler (Tanyard Gap) CamelMan's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by rocketsocks View Post
    Ok, just saw your home made emoji, not sure if that was a sarcastic furrowed brow?
    It was supposed to be the devil, I was (mostly) kidding around, I didn't read far enough to know who he actually stole from. I did see somebody mentioned a pension fund, so that would suck, yes, and he should go away for a while.

  7. #87
    279.6 Miler (Tanyard Gap) CamelMan's Avatar
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Astro View Post
    the Pinkerton's
    It's interesting to look into the history of this "organization", and some of what they did.

  8. #88

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    I think every "community" acts like a small community.

    I lived in three major cities, so far. Everyone knew everyone, unless you were preoccupied and never looked around. The coffee shops, the grocery stores, the bus lines, the neighborhoods.. even the tourist areas (they're new).

    It was surprising.

    I don't think it is possible to be annonymous.

    I think a criminal would have to be where it seems "no one cares" however, I have noticed "the predators" close in for some action, or, to get-in on the action, or, if any comes along are you included.

    I was led to believe I was a protected witness (San Francisco Justice Department) after I was a crime victim: move right now, pay cash, do not register to vote, no library card, driver's license.. do things differently (no recognizable habits, hobby interests, or habitual "schedule" for your day or week).

    Pay cash? That gets attention.

    Just try it, for everything, all the time.

    I did get a driver's license in a state, that required a subpoena to get your information.

  9. #89
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    Quote Originally Posted by WhiteBlaze View Post


    "He sought refuge in the foothills and mountains of the Trail, in an attempt to sort through a sordid past,"


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    Baloney!!!

  10. #90
    Registered User John B's Avatar
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  11. #91

  12. #92

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    Quote Originally Posted by Adriana View Post
    Baloney!!!
    i agree...........

  13. #93
    ME => GA 19AT3 rickb's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Cookerhiker View Post
    The article was updated with additional details: http://www.kentucky.com/news/local/c...e85364822.html

    The headline makes me think they have some interesting laws on the KY books:
    Lexington embezzler gets 8 years for taking $8 million, hiking trail


  14. #94
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    Quote Originally Posted by rickb View Post
    The headline makes me think they have some interesting laws on the KY books:
    Lexington embezzler gets 8 years for taking $8 million, hiking trail
    How many years do you get for just hiking?
    If you don't stand for something, you will fall for anything.

  15. #95

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    I took a hike once, and I didn't even feel bad about it.

  16. #96

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    Did anyone else notice him in the documentary FlipFlopFlippin? Here is a screen shot.

    Screen Shot 2016-08-03 at 12.00.27 PM.png
    Last edited by The Roaming Gnome; 08-03-2016 at 12:12.

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