TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — An American influencer was arrested in Taipei on Friday for trespassing at a train station earlier this year.
The man, identified as 26-year-old Jacob Pugmire, had been placed on the wanted list by the Taoyuan District Prosecutors Office after failing to appear in court over a trespassing complaint, per CNA. According to the New Taipei Police Department’s Tamsui Precinct, the case began on Jan. 21 when Pugmire stayed overnight at Yangmei Station in Taoyuan.
The station was closed from midnight until 5 a.m., but Pugmire remained inside and slept there until operations resumed. He later posted about the incident on social media, prompting the stationmaster to file a complaint for unlawful intrusion.
Police said that earlier this year Pugmire had been on a walk around Taiwan, which delayed his court appearance. In early May, he reported to a police station for questioning and joked, “I am in Taiwan the most followed content creator by the police,” per EBC News.
After he failed to attend a hearing scheduled for August, prosecutors issued a warrant for his arrest. During an online patrol on Friday, an officer from the Zhongzheng Road Police Station in Tamsui spotted Pugmire livestreaming.
By analyzing the footage, police confirmed he was in front of a store on Zhongxiao East Road, Section 3, in Taipei. At the time of his arrest, Pugmire was still livestreaming. Police informed him on camera that he was wanted, and the entire arrest, including handcuffing, was broadcast live.
He was taken into custody and later transferred to the Taoyuan District Prosecutors Office. Under Article 306 of Taiwan’s Criminal Code, “A person who without reason enters a dwelling house or structure of another” may face up to one year in prison, detention, or a fine of up to NT$9,000 (US$295). The same penalties apply to those who hide inside or refuse to leave after being asked.
Pugmire was released on Saturday shortly after undergoing questioning.





