Izard County Sheriff Charley Melton reported that authorities are continuing their search for Joel Griffith, 51, a Level 3 sex offender who is wanted for providing false address information—a violation of state law.
Griffith was charged earlier this month with two Class C felonies: failure to comply with sex offender registration and the reporting requirements mandated by Arkansas law.
Sheriff Melton stated that Griffith became the 24th individual charged in Izard County for crimes related to violations of the sex offender registry. Level 3 offenders, like Griffith, are considered to have a high risk of reoffense under Arkansas law, which requires them to update authorities with accurate residency information.
Law enforcement agencies have urged anyone with information on Griffith’s whereabouts to contact the Izard County Sheriff’s Office immediately. No further details about the ongoing search were provided as of Tuesday.