Hawkeye Reporter

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 received his sentence from United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand in Sioux City.

Court proceedings revealed that during August and September of 2022, Tapper was aware of an outstanding federal warrant for Mary Kate Nguyen’s arrest. Despite this knowledge, he booked hotels under his own name for Nguyen, purchased a camper for her use, and acted as a lookout while she met with a potential fraud victim. The intent behind these actions was to prevent Nguyen’s discovery and arrest on felony charges at the time.

While Nguyen was evading law enforcement in 2022, both she and Tapper submitted the highest bid—$1.3 million—to purchase the former U.S. Courthouse in Bemidji, Minnesota. Even after Nguyen's incarceration, Tapper maintained contact through phone calls and assisted her with financial transactions.

Nguyen was eventually arrested by U.S. Marshals and sentenced to ten years in prison on fraud and contempt charges in January 2025. During the investigation into Nguyen's financial crimes in 2022, Tapper admitted to making false statements and withholding documents from a grand jury.

In addition to his prison term, Tapper will serve two years of supervised release following incarceration; parole is not available within the federal system.

Tapper remains free on bond pending his surrender to the Bureau of Prisons at a date yet to be determined. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy L. Vavricek prosecuted the case. The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation-Special Enforcement Operations Bureau led the investigation with support from several agencies including the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Woodbury Police Department (Minnesota), U.S. Marshal’s Service, Sioux County Sheriff’s Office (Iowa), Iowa State Patrol, Minnesota Department of Public Safety Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement division, and Iowa Division of Intelligence.