Deputies arrest Chaffee man in sex-offender registration case
FOX23 News at 9 p.m.
CHAFFEE, Mo., (KBSI) — A Scott County man was arrested Friday after deputies say he failed to comply with Missouri’s sex-offender registration requirements.
According to the Scott County Sheriff’s Office, a deputy conducting a routine sex-offender compliance check on November 21 at a home in the 200 block of Black Avenue made contact with 40-year-old Mark Allen Warren, a registered sex offender.
During the check, investigators determined Warren failed to update or verify several legally required pieces of information.
Deputies said Warren told them he had no active social media accounts, but an investigation found he previously held accounts that were not reported. Under Missouri law, registered offenders must disclose all online identifiers, including inactive, deleted, or inaccessible accounts.
Warren also reported he did not own a vehicle. However, deputies said he later admitted to operating a family member’s vehicle, something law enforcement had previously observed. State law requires offenders to report any vehicle they own, regularly use, or have access to.
The sheriff’s office submitted a probable cause affidavit seeking a charge of failure to register as a sex offender, a Class E felony under Section 589.425 of Missouri law. The statute requires offenders to register and keep current a broad range of personal information, including residence, employment, vehicles and online identifiers.
Sheriff Derick Wheetley said the department remains committed to enforcing sex-offender registration laws and reminding offenders of their responsibility to provide complete and accurate information.
