One had booth at Railroad Junction Day
Pierce
Rhoades
A registered sex offender who had a crafts booth at Railroad Junction Day in Flomaton and another sex offender who was on his way to Ohio on a Greyhound bus have been arrested for violating the sexual offense registration act.
Roman Pierce, 45, whose address was listed in the Dixie community, was arrested Wednesday morning in Clover, S.C., according to Escambia County Sheriff's Office Inv. Bruce Shue.
According to Shue, Pierce was convicted of enticing a child for immoral purposes and was a registered sex offender in the county. In July he apparently boarded a bus heading to Ohio. Warrants were issued for his arrest and the case was turned over the U.S. Marshal's Office.
Shue said Pierce was arrested yesterday in South Carolina and is awaiting extradition back to Escambia County. He also said federal charges for crossing state lines will be filed.
Howard Rhoades, 77, 1659 Highway 113, Flomaton, was arrested Oct. 4 on warrants signed after he was observed selling homemade items from a booth on Railroad Junction Day in Flomaton.
Rhoades is a registered sex offender from Florida, where he was convicted of sexual activity with a 15-year old girl.
Shue said he was attending Railroad Junction Day when he saw Rhoades selling items from the booth. He said that qualifies as working and noted the booth was within 2,000 feet of the Baptist Church Day Care and within 200 feet of the park where children played during Railroad Junction Day, which violated Rhoades' conditions as a sex offender.
Shue said he made Rhoades leave his booth at Railroad Junction Day and later signed warrants for his arrest.
