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Man Held After 'Most Wanted' Tip Had Worked In Tampa

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By THOMAS W.  KRAUSE | The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 18, 2008

TAMPA - A Maryland man, arrested in Tampa after his picture was aired on America's Most Wanted, briefly worked for a tent-rental company on Waters Avenue.

Jacob Corey Gordon, 28, was arrested about 1:20 a.m. Sunday on an outstanding rape warrant from Maryland. In court this morning, Judge Walter Heinrich held over his case for an extradition hearing Thursday.

Jacob Gordon

Earl Fox, the office manager for Tampa Tent and Rental Co., said the company often hires temporary workers. A little more than a week ago, Gordon walked in off the street and asked for work. He presented a Maryland identification card and used his real name, Fox said. A staffing company verified that he was a U.S. citizen and held a valid Social Security card.

Gordon worked for a few days. On Friday, he came in to collect his paycheck. He said he had gotten work for a carpet company but didn't elaborate, Fox said.

Other employees described Gordon as soft-spoken and a good worker, Fox said. They were in disbelief at the outstanding warrant.

"You'd never know this guy did something like that," Fox said.

On Saturday night, America's Most Wanted aired a segment about Gordon and said he was wanted on the rape warrant. The television show said that on Oct. 19, 2001, Gordon and a friend offered to take a woman home after a concert. Instead, they took her to a wooded area and raped her for three hours, according to the show.

Gordon's friend killed himself Feb. 9 while awaiting trial.

Saturday night, two tipsters called America's Most Wanted with information about Gordon. At least one of the callers said he worked at the tent-rental company and lived in an apartment across the street. Tampa police and U.S. Marshals arrested him hours later.

The Web site for America's Most Wanted said it was one of the fastest captures in the show's history.

Public records show many addresses for Gordon in the Baltimore area until 2001 and little information since. Tampa police said they don't think Gordon's name was on the lease of the Tampa apartment where he was arrested. It is unclear how long he was in Florida.

Reporter Thomas W. Krause can be reached at (813) 259-7698 or tkrause@tampatrib.com.

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