A man wanted since 2020 on child exploitation charges stemming from a Northampton police investigation has been captured in Ecuador and flown back to Massachusetts to face prosecution. Jude DeMeis, now 55, was scheduled for arraignment in Hampshire Superior Court on Friday after spending roughly six years evading law enforcement across state and international lines.
The case traces back to March 2019, when Northampton police opened an investigation after receiving a report that DeMeis had shared a social media video believed to contain child sexual abuse material, according to New Bedford Guide. That multi-month probe by the Northampton Police Department led to a Hampshire County grand jury indictment in September 2019 on three counts of possessing child sexual abuse material and one count of posing or exhibiting a child in a state of nudity. Hampshire Superior Court issued the arrest warrant on September 10, 2019, but by the time authorities moved to serve it, DeMeis had already fled the jurisdiction.
A Fugitive With Regional Ties and Technical Skills
DeMeis remained at large for the better part of six years, with law enforcement noting he was actively avoiding capture and was aware he was wanted. In July 2020, the Massachusetts State Police Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section placed him on its Most Wanted list, flagging his proficiency with computers along with his physical description and regional connections, per the Fall River Reporter. Investigators listed ties to Northampton, Needham, and Gilboa and Syracuse, New York, along with a previous address in New City, New York. DeMeis is described as a white man standing 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighing 180 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes, and is known as a rally car enthusiast and avid mountain biker.
The manhunt eventually crossed international borders. FBI agents tracked DeMeis to Ecuador earlier this year, prompting Ecuadorian law enforcement to arrest him at the request of the United States government, according to the Newport Dispatch. The U.S. Marshals Service then escorted DeMeis back to Boston on Thursday, setting up his arraignment in Hampshire Superior Court under warrant 1980CR00055 on charges of lascivious pose or exhibition of a child in the nude and possession of child pornography.
Prosecutor Points to Joint Agency Effort
Northwestern District Attorney David E. Sullivan credited the coordinated pursuit across agencies and borders, saying there are no jurisdictional boundaries when it comes to pursuing justice. The case involved the Massachusetts State Police Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section, the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Northwestern District Attorney's Office, and the Northampton Police Department. The arrest warrant authorized full extradition within the continental United States once DeMeis was located.
The case fits a broader pattern of cooperation between American and Ecuadorian authorities in child exploitation investigations. In May, Ecuador extradition nabs decade-long fugitive resulted in the capture of West Virginia fugitive David Buzzard, who had been on the run for 11 years, in a case that similarly relied on federal task force coordination through diplomatic channels.
Statutory Exposure Includes Registry and Possible Civil Commitment
Under Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 272, Section 29A, posing or exhibiting a child in a state of nudity is a felony that carries severe state prison sentences, according to the Law Offices of Stephen Neyman. A conviction on that charge also triggers mandatory long-term registration as a sex offender under Chapter 6, Section 178C. Separately, Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 123A, Section 12 permits district attorneys to petition for civil commitment of individuals convicted of qualifying child sexual exploitation offenses who are evaluated as sexually dangerous, a legal exposure that could extend well beyond any criminal sentence DeMeis ultimately faces.
The Massachusetts State Police Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section, the unit that led much of the search for DeMeis, maintains a dedicated tip line at 1-800-KAPTURE (1-800-527-8873) for the public to report information on fugitives fleeing major felony charges across state or international lines. The unit routinely partners with local police departments and federal agencies on its Most Wanted cases. Announcing DeMeis's capture, Massachusetts State Police quoted the ancient Greek playwright Sophocles: “He escapes who is not pursued.”
