An online journalist working for the Michigan Messenger locates a sex offender using social networking sites.

The arrest of a man convicted of sex crimes involving children — a man on the Michigan State Police’s most-wanted fugitives list for failing to register as a sex offender in 2007 — has given rise to questions about how well the state and law enforcement are monitoring and searching for wanted sex offenders.
Michigan State Police arrested Adrian Hill Wednesday night in Jackson, police say. He was picked up on two warrants. The first was a warrant issued in October of 2009 for failing to verify or register his address as a sex offender. The second was a March 26, 2010 bench warrant for failing to appear in court on a traffic violation. Police say the violation was operating a vehicle without a driver’s license.

Cops say they sought multiple warrants in October for Hill’s multiple failures to register.

Hill, 37, made little effort to conceal his identity or location, which were easily uncovered by a Michigan Messenger investigation. The information about Hill was discovered on publicly available websites including Facebook, where Hill maintained a page under his own name, using his actual birth date. In addition, that website indicated that the convicted sex offender was actively involved in a Jackson daycare center and was preparing a large event to feed the homeless at a community center frequented by many of Lansing’s poorest youth. The profile also indicates Hill had been running a non-profit ministry reaching out to support the disabled and their families.

Michigan Messenger turned over the results of its investigation to Lansing Police Capt. Ray Hall, who runs the city of Lansing’s North Precinct. Hall said Hill was one of Michigan’s most-wanted fugitive sex offenders, and his detectives, using Michigan Messenger–provided information, worked with the Michigan State Police to track Hill down and arrest him. Michigan Messenger agreed not to publish this story until Hill was arrested, in order to prevent him from being tipped off and fleeing.

Link:
http://michiganmessenger.com/36610/arrest-of-most-wanted-sex-offender-raises-policy-questions