KPD e-News Release: Violent Homeless Sex Offender Wanted for Violating Registry Restrictions

	Kingsport Police Department 200 Shelby Street • Kingsport, TN 37660 ThomasMPatton • 423-229-9433 (Desk) • 423-224-2786 (FAX) http://Police.KingsportTN.gov • www.KingsportPDBlog.com
NEWS RELEASE
SUBJECT:		Violent Homeless Sex Offender Wanted for Violating Registry Restrictions
DATE:		January 19, 2017
CASE #:		17-001168 17-001213 17-001290

GENERAL NARRATIVE
On January 17 and 18, 2017 the Kingsport Police Department received two separate complaints regarding an apparently homeless man setting up camp in a wooded area adjacent to the Americourt Hotel, located at 1900 American Way in Kingsport. At least one of the complainants reported approaching the man, informing him that he was trespassing, and asking him to vacate the area. Upon arrival, the officers located the camp in question; however, the suspect was not present either time. Through further investigation, the individual was positively identified as Jonathan W. Waugh, an unregistered violent sex offender with a history of predatory behavior. He was originally convicted in Kentucky in September 2006 of First Degree Sexual Abuse involving the molestation of an 8 year old female victim. The location of Mr. Waugh’s makeshift camp is also within close proximity and direct line of sight of a clearly marked child daycare facility located on American Way. As a convicted sex offender, he was monitored by the Campbell County Office of the Kentucky State Police until February 2015. He was last registered in Tennessee by the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office in 2014; however, he has never registered with the Kingsport Police Department having jurisdiction where his campsite is located, and he has not registered with any law enforcement agency for nearly two years in clear violation of the Sex Offender Registry. Detectives in the Kingsport Police Department Criminal Investigations Division have obtained a warrant charging Mr. Waugh with two felonious violations of the Sex Offender Registry: 1) Failure to Register as a Sex Offender and 2) Sex Offender Residing within 1,000 Feet of a School or Daycare. He is also wanted on a pre-existing warrant out of Sullivan County, TN for Violation of Probation and pre-existing warrants out of Campbell County, KY for 1) Violation of the Sex Offender Registry and 2) Failure to Pay Child Support. He is described as a 63 year old white male adult with brown hair and brown eyes. He is approximately 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighs roughly 160 pounds. A photograph of Mr. Waugh is included in this release. Anyone who has any information whatsoever regarding his current whereabouts is asked to contact the Kingsport Police Department either by calling the Criminal Investigations Division at 423-229-9429 or by calling Kingsport Central Dispatch at 423-246-9111. Alternatively, if an individual who is able to supply information related to this or any other case wishes not to be identified, tips can be submitted anonymously via online “Citizen Feedback” forms available at the following link: https://www.kingsporttn.gov/city-services/police-department/contact-us

SUSPECT INFORMATION
Name	Jonathan W. Waugh
Age	Date of Birth 12/1/1953 63 Years of Age
Gender/Race	Male/White
Height/ Weight	5 feet 9 inches 160 pounds
Hair/ Eyes	Brown Hair Brown Eyes
Last Known Address	587 North Holston River Drive Kingsport, TN Currently Believed to be Homeless
Charge(s)	1) Failure to Register as a Sex Offender 2) Sex Offender Residing within 1,000 Feet of a School or Daycare 3) Also wanted on pre-existing Sullivan County, TN warrant for Violation of Probation 4) Also wanted on pre-existing Campbell County, KY warrants for Violation of Sex Offender Registry and Failure to Pay Child Support