Warrants issued for missing pilot

Published 3:36 pm Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Indiana authorities have issued two felony warrants against a missing pilot who parachuted out of his plane over Shelby County Sunday.

CNN.com reports that Marcus Schrenker, 38, was charged in Hamilton County, Ind. Superior Court Tuesday with two Class C felonies – unlawful acts by a compensated adviser and unlawful transaction by an investment adviser.

The charges are linked to Schrenker’s three Indiana-based businesses – Heritage Wealth Management Inc., Heritage Insurance Services and Icon Wealth Management.

Attempts to reach Jim Gavin, spokesperson for the Indiana Secretary of State’s office, were unsuccessful.

Authorities are trying to determine whether Schrenker was trying to stage his own death.

Schrenker, who was recently ordered to pay more than $500,000 in a federal judgment, intentionally abandoned his six-passenger Piper Malibu plane after putting it on autopilot. The plane eventually crashed near Naval Air Station Whiting Field near Milton, Fla.

On Saturday, Schrenker rented a storage unit at the 280 East Mini Warehouse in Harpersville, and an employee there witnessed Schrenker pushing a red motorcycle into a unit, said Harpersville Police Chief David Latimer.

Schrenker retrieved his motorcycle on Monday after fleeing from the Harpersville Motel, and dumped his clothing in a nearby dumpster. Harpersville police discovered Schrenker’s clothing Tuesday and are holding it as evidence, Latimer said.

The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, Harpersville police and Childersburg police searched for Schrenker Monday. The U.S. Coast Guard in Mobile is now handling the investigation with the assistance of U.S. Marshals.