LEBANON, Tenn. -
The Wilson County Sheriff's Office along with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Marshal's Fugitive Task Force are asking for the public's help in locating an alleged child rapist who has been on the run for one year.
Stephen "Gene" Beck did not show up for his court date last July 25.
He faced a 35-count indictment for nine counts of child rape, 16 counts of rape and 10 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor.
His case in Wilson County involved two child victims.
Beck, 41, also skipped out on a court date in Rutherford County a few days later, where he faced three counts of rape of a child.
"The victims and the family deserve to be able to go to bed at night and not worry about him showing up on their doorstep," said Lt. Bob Harrison with the Wilson County Sheriff's Office.
Harrison told Nashville's News 2 it is likely Beck carefully prepared to go off the grid.
"We have information through our investigations, that he secretly planned his run from justice several months before he actually fled," said Harrison, "That he did research on the Internet to help him learn how to evade capture."
Harrison also added Beck has likely been able to evade capture for this long because certain family members are helping him hide.
"We are not giving up," said Harrison, "We are going to continue to look for him until we catch him."
Investigators have reason to believe Beck is in the Middle Tennessee area, but leads have also brought them to parts of Kentucky, Alabama and even Alaska.
TBI Special Agent Louis Kuykendall told Nashville's News 2, "If you're looking for a bank robber, all you have to do is look for banks. If you're looking for someone who's going to do their crimes in a very subtle fashion, then nothing stands out, there's no easy target to focus on."
Kuykendall said the crimes Beck is accused of committing involved two young children, who were his family members.
Kuykendall also added, Beck's charisma helps him easily blend into new communities and gain peoples' trust.
"We just don't believe he's going to stop. It would be different if I thought he was going to stop," explained Kuykendall, "I could take a breath, but I already worry there's more victims and if there's not, there's going to be."
At the time of his disappearance Beck weighed 240 pounds. He is five feet, 11 inches tall with black hair and hazel eyes.
He also has a distinctive tattoo on his left shoulder of a "heart" with the name "April" across it.
Investigators say Beck has a penchant for adult softball leagues, especially to sell equipment, like bats.
Anyone with information on Beck's whereabouts is urged to call the TBI at 1-800-TBI-FIND or the Wilson County Sheriff's Office at 615-444-1412.
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