Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/316941
The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office has arrested a convicted sex offender who failed to register in Florida and has been out of com- pliance with Washington state's registration system since 1999, the office has reported. Deputy Kathi Pitman, an Animal Services officer, received a complaint from a resident about possible animal neglect; the informa- tion included a license tag number for the dog owner's vehicle, a news release says. Pitman ran the information and found the registered owner did not have a Florida driver's license, "so she researched the owner's name and dis- covered he was a sex offender with a 1984 conviction in Washington for Statutory Rape," the release points out. Pitman passed on that information to detec- tives who confirmed that Randall Ashby, of 1120 Coleman Ave., Sarasota, was required to register in Florida, the release continues. When detectives contacted Ashby on May 15, he explained he had lived in Georgia and Texas before moving to Sarasota about a year ago. He claimed he did not know that Florida law required him to register, the release adds. Ashby was charged with Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. ANIMAL SERVICES STAFF FINDS ABSCONDED SEX OFFENDER Randall Ashby/Contributed photo recently moved back to Sarasota, for an address to which they could ship the package, the release continues. Early Wednesday morn- ing, May 14, Matthew Townley of Niceville, who was paid $800 to pick up the package, and Robert McKuhen of Ft. Walton Beach, drove to Sarasota to meet Farr and retrieve the shipment, the release adds. All three suspects are charged with Possession with Intent to Deliver Dimethylmethcathinone. McKuhen is also charged with Possession of Cocaine and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon (he has 23 prior felony con- victions). Farr is also charged with Possession of Cannabis. Detectives determined the woman who signed for the package was not involved in the crime. "Molly, also known as MDMA or Ecstasy, is sold as a stimulant," the release explains. It is a man-made chemical substance that can interfere with the body's ability to regulate temperature, and it "can cause serious heart and kidney problems" and, in some cases, death, the release points out. "The quantity of this party drug seized here would have equaled about 5,000 doses," said Sheriff Tom Knight in the release. "This is another successful example of the established federal partnerships forged by my person- nel over the years, and our ability to quickly react to intelligence to keep large quantities of drugs out of our kids' hands." Sarasota News Leader May 23, 2014 Page 95