The FBI is offering a new reward and launching a media campaign in an effort to generate tips in the cold case fugitive hunt for Barrett Preston Busschau. Busschau, now 42 years old, disappeared from Oregon in 1993 after Clackamas County authorities arrested him on multiple sex abuse charges involving children. The FBI is running Facebook ads in both the Portland-metro area and in South Africa, where he may be living.
The reward of up to $10,000 is for information that leads directly to his arrest.
On July 27, 1993, a Clackamas County grand jury indicted Buscchau for the alleged molestation of five girls between the ages of 10 and 15. He was 18 years old at the time. The charges include:
1st degree sexual penetration with a foreign object
1st degree sex abuse
3rd degree sodomy
3rd degree rape
3rd degree sex abuse
Busschau was released pending trial, but he fled before his next court appearance. In February 1994, a Clackamas County grand jury indicted him for failure to appear. That same year, the FBI obtained a federal fugitive warrant charging him with Unlawful Flight to Avoid Prosecution.
Busschau is a native of South Africa, and he had been living in the United States since 1984 as a legal permanent resident. Investigators believe he may have traveled to California and/or Panama following his disappearance, but the last known sighting of him places him in South Africa.
Investigators do believe there may be people still living in the Portland-metro area who have information that could help lead the FBI to Busschau. Anyone with information is asked to call the FBI at (503) 224-4181 or submit a tip to https://tips.fbi.gov. Anyone living elsewhere who has information about Busschau should contact the nearest FBI office or U.S. Embassy.
