ITHACA -- Police and parole officials throughout central New York are on the lookout for escaped sex offender Shane Jacobs.
Jacobs’ GPS tracking bracelet was found near the Trumansburg School District campus on Monday. Trumansburg Police Chief Thomas Ferretti confirms to CNYCentral’s Jim Kenyon that his department is working the State Parole Office after locating the bracelet.
State Parole officers based in Elmira put out a warrant for Jacobs’ arrest after learning that he had cut off the tracking bracelet.
The Trumansburg School District heightened security on Monday in light of the discovery. The Superintendent for the Trumansburg Central School District, Michael McGuire, posted a note on the district's Facebook page.
"We received information this morning that a recent parolee had removed his monitoring device somewhere near our H.S. campus. As a precaution, we have all district facilities on lockdown. If your child walks to school, please make arrangements to pick them up at the end of the school day or contact the school office. We will update you as more information becomes available," wrote McGuire.
Chief Ferretti says he has been told that Jacobs could be the Ithaca or Syracuse areas. Jacobs reportedly has relatives and a girlfriend in Syracuse.
Jacobs is a level 2 sex offender who was convicted of raping a 13-year-old girl in 2001. He served 6 months in jail with a five year probation. Jacobs was separately convicted of robbery in 2008 and sentenced to five years in prison. He is currently on parole.
Jacobs, whose last address is in Hector, Schuyler County, is a 30-year-old white male. He is described on the New York State Sex Offender Registry as 5’9” tall, 160 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes.
