The Monroe County Sheriff's Office is asking Bloomington-area residents to help track down 42-year-old Jake Allen Thompson, who is wanted on a Level 5 felony domestic battery charge tied to a previous conviction, along with a Class B misdemeanor battery charge and a probation violation warrant. Thompson is described as 5 feet 7 inches tall, weighing 140 pounds, with brown hair and hazel eyes.
The agency published its notice as part of a recurring Wanted Wednesday post, according to the Monroe County Sheriff's Office on Facebook. The probation violation stems from an earlier Level 6 felony conviction for battery with a prior conviction, meaning Thompson already had a domestic battery record before this latest case emerged. The specific timeline and circumstances surrounding the newest alleged battery incident, as well as the exact terms of his prior probation, have not been detailed in the sheriff's office's public alert.
What Thompson's Charges Could Mean in Court
Indiana law treats repeat domestic battery offenses with escalating severity. Under state statute, domestic battery becomes a Level 5 felony when it involves a prior domestic battery conviction plus specific aggravating factors, carrying a potential sentence of one to six years in prison, with an advisory term of three years, and fines reaching $10,000, according to Banks & Brower. The Level 6 felony tied to Thompson's probation violation, which applies when an offender has a prior unrelated conviction for battery or strangulation, carries six months to 2.5 years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine, per Justia Law.
His misdemeanor charge is defined under state law as knowingly or intentionally touching another person in a rude, insolent, or angry manner, a Class B misdemeanor punishable by up to 180 days in jail and a $1,000 fine, according to Vining Legal LLC. Should Thompson be apprehended on the active probation violation warrant, a judge would have the statutory authority to revoke his probation and order execution of all or part of the sentence originally suspended, per Justia Law's summary of Indiana Code § 35-38-2-3. Altogether, the domestic violence penalties Thompson faces if convicted or found in violation could range from six months up to six years in prison per felony count.
Sheriff's Office Leans on Digital Tip Tools
Anyone with information on Thompson's whereabouts is asked to contact the Monroe County Sheriff's Office tip line at (812) 349-2815, and tips can be submitted anonymously. The agency also accepts information through its website's dedicated tip submission page and through the MCSO mobile app, continuing a pattern of leaning on digital channels and social media to locate wanted individuals across the Bloomington area.
This is not the first time the sheriff's office has turned to a public digital alert to seek help finding a domestic violence suspect. In March, the agency issued a similar fugitive notice for 37-year-old Sean Kent Johnson, who was sought on felony charges including domestic battery, burglary, and strangulation. The Monroe County Sheriff's Office, headquartered at 301 N. College Avenue in Bloomington, is led by elected Sheriff Ruben Marté, who took office in 2023 and oversees jail, warrant, and patrol operations countywide.
How Monroe County Tracks Domestic Violence Cases
Monroe County monitors intimate partner violence cases through the Monroe Circuit Courts at the Charlotte T. Zietlow Justice Center, where specialized court divisions record dozens of identified domestic abuse and civil protection order cases each year, according to the City of Bloomington. The City of Bloomington Police Department separately maintains a public open data system tracking domestic battery cases across local police response districts in the county.
Survivors of domestic violence in Monroe County can access localized legal and advocate support, including on-scene victim advocates and assistance through the Indiana University Maurer School of Law Protective Order Project, per the City of Bloomington. Those resources remain available regardless of the outcome of Thompson's case, as the search for him continues.
