AP Investigation: Suspected Fort Campbell rapist goes AWOL; no Army search

WASHINGTON (AP) — Jameson T. Hazelbower — an Army private at Fort Campell — went AWOL after learning he was suspected of raping a 15-year-old girl.

Despite the potential threat to the public that he posed, the self-described sex addict roamed free for nearly three months before local police collared him.

And that was only by chance.

The case is a window into an obscure but significant aspect of the military’s legal system.

Deserters suspected of serious crimes are to be prioritized for capture based on the severity of the offenses. But the Army never searched for Hazelbower. The U.S. Marshals Service wasn’t called in, even though marshals have arrested more than 200 deserters over the past five years alone.

The Army declined to discuss the case and why service officials chose not to pursue Hazelbower.

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