TIFTON — An Oklahoma man who reportedly faked his own death to escape a court appearance was captured Sunday in Tift County, officials said.

The suspect Melvin Emde, 41, was reported missing on Aug. 7 by his son after supposedly drowning while river kayaking in Hahnville, La., according to a statement from the St. Charles, La., Parish Sheriff’s Office.

Detectives learned the next day that Emde had pending charges in North Carolina of indecent liberties with a child and statutory rape of a child by an adult and was due in court that day, the statement said.

The sheriff’s office said they could not publicly air their fears that the death had been faked to avoid charges in order to keep from tipping the suspect off, St. Charles Sheriff Greg Champagne said in the statement.

Emde had bought two prepaid phones, using one for only short periods of time. Authorities, including the U.S. Marshals Service, worked to track the phones; the search focused on Oklahoma until it became clear the phones were no longer being used, according to the statement.

Around 3:30 a.m. Sunday, a Georgia State Patrol trooper tried to stop a motorcycle for not having a license plate; the motorcyclist fled and crashed, the St. Charles Parish sheriff’s office said.

The driver, later identified as Emde, tried to flee but was caught, giving a fake name, the statement said.

If anyone has any information on this case, they are urged to contact Detective Joshua Deroche with the St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office at (985) 783-6807, (985) 783-1135, or jderoche@stcharlessheriff.org.