https://nypost.com/2021/01/28/florid...-flee-country/

A Florida man out on bond for child sex abuse charges cut off his ankle bracelet and attempted to raise money to flee the country, police said.

Keith Morris Smith Jr., 29, created the online fundraiser titled 'Trying to be free' and set a donation goal of $2,000, the Clay County Sheriff's Office said Wednesday.

He is facing multiple charges, including committing a sex crime on a child between the ages of 12 and 16.

'I'm fundraising to basically live. I was on bond that was revoked over something I never did,' stated the GoFundMe page, which has since been taken down, according to CBS 4.

'Now I'm on the run.'

Smith wrote on the page he needed the cash to flee the country because he believed he'd die if he went back to jail, Law and Crime reported.

'There's no going back now I've already cut off my monitor and got rid of most of my things except for clothes. If I go back to jail I'll die. I need help with the money to get out of the country,' he wrote.

'I have no assets because I sold everything of value to get out of jail after fighting the case for over a year. Just to have it unjustly taken by a lie and a corrupt establishment. I have started a vlog to show my journey.'

For three days, the criminal sob story failed to win over any benefactors, and was taken down Wednesday by GoFundMe for violating the site's terms of service, a spokesperson told Law and Crime.

Smith was featured in the Clay County Sheriff's Office's 'Fugitive Friday' weekly video on Facebook, which it decided to air early Wednesday following the audacious fundraising attempt.

'This week we're doing Fugitive Friday a little early this week because we really would like to get this fugitive back behind bars,' Sgt. Masline from the Jacksonville area sheriff's office said in the video.

'Keith Morris Smith Jr. is wanted in Clay County. He was initially arrested on multiple charges, including committing a sex crime on a person 12 to 16 years of age,' Sgt. McDade added.

'He was released on bond with conditions and violated them. He also cut off his ankle bracelet and started a GoFundMe account to get out of the country.'

The cops implored anyone with information to come forward.