SUMNER COUNTY, Tenn. (NewsNation) — Celebrity bounty hunter Duane Chapman, also known as “Dog the Bounty Hunter,” believes missing Tennessee teen Sebastian Rogers is still alive and plans to do whatever it takes to find him.
“I’m not a real law enforcement officer. I can do a lot of things that law enforcement cannot do. I don’t break the law, but I will bend it to its fracturing point,” Chapman said on “Banfield.” “I’m gonna hunt these people down. … I think the boy is still alive.”
Sebastian’s biological dad, Seth Rogers, has previously said that finding the teen “doesn’t feel like a shared goal” with his mother and stepfather.
Rogers was reported missing Feb. 26 by his mother, Katie Proudfoot, and an endangered child alert was issued for Rogers, who is autistic. Proudfoot said she last saw her son the night before and heard a thud from his room around 10 p.m.
Chapman suspects that Rogers was “stashed somewhere” because of a custody battle going on between his parents.
“We’re seeing a domestic squabble over a child,” Chapman said.
Last week, the FBI announced a reward of $50,000 for information about the case. Law enforcement has not said anything criminal happened to Sebastian. Still, seeing the need for answers, Chapman stepped in to help Seth and uncover the truth while increasing the reward to $100,000.
Chapman and his team plan to work independently from law enforcement but will reevaluate collected information and follow up on new leads.
Sebastian Rogers is described as being 5 feet, 5 inches with sandy blond hair. He was last seen wearing a black sweatshirt, black sweatpants and glasses.
Anyone with information can call Chapman’s tip line at 833-835-5364, the Sumner County Sheriff’s Office at 615-451-3838, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation at 800-TBI-FIND or TipsToTBI@tbi.tn.gov. Also, anyone with information can contact their local FBI office, the nearest American embassy or consulate, or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.