Convicted sex offender eluded police

FAIRHOPE, Ala. (WALA) - Fairhope police arrested a convicted sex offender on a warrant for failure to register at a new address.

Police say Richard Jones, 25, was arrested on June 28 after having escaped from police twice before they were able to identify him as a wanted sex offender.

June 27, police contacted Jones at a house on Prospect Ave. while looking into a report of a fight, but he fled before they found out he had a warrant for his arrest.

Later that day, police went to his home address on Morphy Ave. and spotted him, but he was able to elude them again.

Finally, on June 28, police returned to the house found Jones, and arrested him.

According to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s web site, Jones is required to register his address with law enforcement as a result of a 2007 conviction for molestation of a person between 12 and 15 years of age. 

Jones failed to register as required in March of this year as well, according to the website.

Police said they don’t know exactly how long he has lived in the Fairhope area.

They said additional charges are possible because Jones, a convicted felon, had a pistol. In addition, his failure to register as a sex offender in Alabama could result in more charges.