Runaway found with registered sex offender in Michigan

Matt Jaworowski
·1 min read

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — A registered sex offender from northern Michigan has been arrested after being accused of harboring a runaway juvenile from West Virginia.

Michigan State Police say they were contacted Wednesday evening by investigators from West Virginia. They told troopers that their agency was looking for a missing girl and had reason to believe she was with a registered sex offender in Petoskey.

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MSP Troopers executed a search warrant and found the missing child. The registered sex offender, identified only as a 26-year-old man, was also at the home at the time and told police that he knew the girl was reported missing and had allowed her to stay with him.

The suspect, who was previously convicted of criminal sexual conduct with a victim under the age of 13, was arrested and lodged in Emmet County Jail.

The juvenile was taken to the MSP Gaylord Post and arrangements are being made to bring her home. Authorities in West Virginia will lead the investigation into how the two met and how she ended up in Michigan.

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