Suspected Fair Oaks Child Molester Found in Philippines

A man wanted in connection with the molestation of a Fair Oaks teen has been found hiding out in Cebu, Philippines, Sacramento County Sheriff's official said Wednesday morning.

According to a statement provided by Sheriff's Sgt. Jason Ramos, the man, Scott David Shrum, 46, is in custody on child molestation charges connected to an investigation that began nearly three years ago. 

In a report submitted by Ramos it states Sheriff's detectives investigated a January 2010 case that Shrum had maintained inappropriate sexual relations with the female child of a woman he was living with in Fair Oaks. According to the report, the alleged activity took place over a period of several years, when the victim was between seven and 14 years of age.

"The guy had an ongoing relationship with the girl's mom, which placed him in a setting where he was able to have regular contact with the victim," Ramos said.

According to Ramos, the investigation led to a warrant for Shrum’s arrest. Shrum would subsequently turn himself in to authorities on August 5, 2010 and post bail the following day. However, in January of 2012, Shrum failed to make a mandatory court appearance and, according to a report, disappeared. His whereabouts would remain unknown for nearly 11 months.

Working with the FBI's Violent Crime Squad and a fugitive program, Sheriff's investigators would locate Shrum in the Philippines. In Feb. 2012 an arrest warrant for the suspect would be issued by the United States District Court on an unlawful flight to avoid prosecution. According to the report, Shrum would later be taken into custody by Philippine authorities on Oct. 16, and transferred to Manila for deportation.

Eleven days later, a FBI special agent and a task force officer from the Sheriff’s Department left the United States and went to the Philippines, where they took custody of Shrum, Ramos said.

"Not to sound too cliché, but like the old adage goes, you can run, but you can't hide," Ramos said.

The officers returned to San Francisco on Tuesday, Oct. 30, where members of the Sheriff’s Department’s Major Crimes Bureau transported Shrum to the Sacramento County Main Jail and booked him into custody.

Shrum is being held without bail for charges of unlawful sexual conduct with a child. He is expected to appear in court later this week.

Stay Patched in! Follow Fair Oaks-Carmichael Patch on Twitter | Like Fair Oaks-Carmichael Patchon Facebook | Sign up for the daily email with links to the latest news.