During 40-year-old Jacob Frahm’s initial trial in 2024, court records show he texted his lawyer after lunch, saying he wouldn’t be coming back.
COMAL COUNTY, Texas — A San Antonio man went through leaps and bounds to avoid prison by going on the run under a new identity, officials say.
40-year-old Jacob Frahm was already found guilty by a Comal County jury in September 2024 on a drug charge.
During that trial’s second day, court records show he texted his lawyer after lunch, saying he wouldn’t be coming back. The judge determined that Frahm had “voluntarily absented himself” and the trial continued.
Before skipping his trial, the jury learned that Frahm was pulled over in Bulverde on Highway 281 for having meth in his car, giving officers a fake name and date of birth.
Police later learned Frahm had nine active warrants in different counties.
After walking out of the courtroom, Frahm wasn’t seen again until five months later, in February 2025, when he was pulled over in San Patricio County near Corpus Christi.
Once again, officials say he gave the same fake identity to a state trooper.
But the trooper caught on, arrested him on multiple warrants including bail jumping, and added a new charge: failure to identify himself as a fugitive.
Frahm was then transported back to Comal County for sentencing.
In that court hearing, prosecutors played recorded jail calls where Frahm talked about hiring someone to get a better fake ID and his plan to keep using drugs after release.
After running from the law, while already facing a minimum of 25 years, Frahm was sentenced to 50 years in prison.