A Minnesota resident, Jay Anthony Tapper, 57, has been sentenced to nine months in federal prison for harboring a fugitive. Tapper pleaded guilty on May 13, 2025, to one count of harboring a fugitive and was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand in Sioux City.
Court proceedings revealed that in August and September 2022, Tapper knowingly assisted Mary Kate Nguyen, who was wanted on federal charges at the time. Tapper booked hotels under his own name for Nguyen, purchased a camper for her use, and acted as a lookout during a meeting with an individual targeted in a fraud scheme. These actions were intended to prevent Nguyen’s arrest while she faced pending felony charges.
While Nguyen was evading authorities in 2022, both she and Tapper submitted the winning $1.3 million bid to purchase the former U.S. Courthouse located in Bemidji, Minnesota. Even after Nguyen’s arrest and incarceration, Tapper maintained contact with her through phone calls and assisted her with financial matters.
Nguyen was eventually apprehended by U.S. Marshals and received a ten-year prison sentence in January 2025 for fraud and contempt charges. During investigations into Nguyen’s activities in 2022, Tapper admitted to making false statements to a grand jury and withholding documents related to financial crimes.
In addition to his prison term, Tapper will serve two years of supervised release following his incarceration. Federal parole is not available.
Tapper remains free on bond until he is required to report to the Bureau of Prisons at a date yet to be determined.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy L. Vavricek and investigated by multiple agencies including the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation-Special Enforcement Operations Bureau; Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Investigation; Woodbury (Minnesota) Police Department; U.S. Marshal’s Service; Sioux County Sheriff’s Office; Iowa State Patrol; Minnesota Department of Public Safety Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement; and Iowa Division of Intelligence.
