WISCONSIN

Manhunt suspect Joseph Jakubowski found with weapons cache at makeshift campsite

Jacob Carpenter, Tom Kertscher, and James B. Nelson

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Joseph Jakubowski's booking photo (left) and mugshot while he was still the subject of the law enforcement manhunt.

The nationwide manhunt for a Janesville man ended peacefully Friday in rural southwestern Wisconsin, where authorities found the 32-year-old fugitive at his makeshift campsite, surrounded by a cache of deadly weapons.

Joseph Jakubowski, 32, had five guns, ammunition, a samurai-type sword and a 161-page manifesto he wrote when authorities closed in on him following a 10-day search, investigators said. He appeared disheveled and exhausted, sleeping under a tarp fashioned into a tent, authorities said.

A tip Thursday night from a farmer in Vernon County, 125 miles from Jakubowski's hometown of Janesville, led to his arrest shortly before sunrise. Authorities set up a perimeter around the 150-acre farm and waited overnight, finally approaching Jakubowski’s campsite at 6 a.m. There were no electronics at his campsite, matching Jakubowski's stated desire to go "off the grid," Rock County Sheriff Robert Spoden said.

Investigators declared Jakubowski armed and dangerous after he mailed his manifesto threatening violence to President Donald Trump, stole 18 weapons from a Janesville gun store and set his beloved truck ablaze. Spoden said Jakubowski railed against the government and religion in his manifesto, though he didn’t list specific targets for potential violence.

“We are fortunate that whatever his endgame was, he was not able to complete it,” Spoden said.

Jakubowski's stepfather, Don McLean, said he and Jakubowski’s mother were relieved the search was over and officers showed restraint. The couple hasn’t had contact with Jakubowski for two years.

"His mother and I are grateful that it ended the way it did," McLean said, standing on the porch of his Janesville home. "We don't know why it happened. We want to reach out to him and let him know we're here to help him. I know he needs help."

A handwritten note on the front door of the Janesville duplex where Jakubowski lives asked passersby not to knock.

"We are happy nobody got hurt," it said. "Our heart goes out to Joe's family. Let's enjoy Easter with our families. Thank you."

Investigators said they were interviewing Jakubowski to determine how he traveled from Janesville to Vernon County, and where the other stolen guns are located. Authorities said they believe Jakubowski likely did not send a letter threatening violence on Easter Sunday at a church in Sussex. The source of the letter remains under investigation.

Jakubowski made an initial appearance in a Madison federal court Friday afternoon. Federal prosecutors charged him with one count of stealing firearms from a federal licensed dealer. Local police have also sought charges of armed burglary, theft and possession of burglary tools.

Vernon County sheriff's officials said a caller contacted them about 7:15 p.m. Thursday about a trespasser matching Jakubowski's description.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Jeffrey Gorn, the property owner who called authorities, said he spotted Jakubowski while checking on his deer stands Thursday evening. Gorn said he approached Jakubowski and spoke to him for an hour about his grievances against society. Gorn described Jakubowski as "extremely cordial."

"He never raised his voice, never showed any sign of doing anything inappropriate. I shook his hand twice," Gorn said. "He wanted me to see his points of view. He wanted me to see what he had written to various people."

The FBI offered a $20,000 reward for information leading to Jakubowski's location. Authorities said they had not yet determined whether Gorn will receive the money.

‘His own agenda’

Law enforcement officials said they remain perplexed by Jakubowski, a low-profile construction worker who lived with his sister in a nondescript duplex near downtown Janesville.

Jakubowski was not known to incite violence, did not affiliate himself with anti-government organizations and did not have any contact with the local mental health community, authorities said. FBI investigators could not identify any “triggering event,” which typically leads to an abrupt change in ideology, Janesville Police Chief Steve Moore said

Jakubowski’s manifesto largely addressed how the government and religion has enslaved American citizens. He didn’t affiliate himself with either major political party.

"He has his own agenda, he has his own plan, and right now we’re trying to determine exactly what his intentions are," Spoden said Thursday.

Court records showed Jakubowski had many run-ins with local police, none which would portend the manhunt.

In 2003, police busted Jakubowski with about 0.4 pounds of marijuana. Jakubowski, who was 18 years old at the time, said he sold about a half-pound of the drug every two weeks.

In January 2008, police said Jakubowski battered his ex-girlfriend during an argument at their home. Two months later, Janesville police said Jakubowski resisted arrest during a traffic stop and tried to grab an officer’s gun. When another officer arrived at the scene and threatened to shoot if Jakubowski didn't relent, Jakubowski said, "Just (expletive) do it," according to an arrest report.

In a letter to a judge in May 2008, Jakubowski asked for a chance to prove he could be a "peaceful, trouble-free citizen."

"I'm actually glad I was brought to jail to take me away from the alcohol and the painful memories of my family," Jakubowski wrote. "These two months actually helped me get my strength and sense back."

Over the next nine years, police in Janesville never arrested Jakubowski for any felony or misdemeanor crimes — though he was a nuisance on the roads. He was stopped more than 50 times, mostly for driving on a suspended license, operating a vehicle without insurance and driving without a seat belt. In the past few years, he was driving his Dodge Durango, which authorities called "his pride and joy."

Investigators said they’ve received no evidence to suggest Jakubowski received help as he avoided capture. Family, friends and social acquaintances — some of whom received copies of Jakubowski’s manifesto before his disappearance — all cooperated with investigators, authorities said.

“We could not have asked for this matter to end better,” Moore said. “No one was hurt, no officers were harmed, and Mr. Jakubowski was taken into custody without any injuries.”