Deputies nab sex offender hiding out at apartment

Following on complaints that a known non-compliant sex offender had been seen loitering around a public playground, Harrison County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Robert Earlywine, a convicted sex offender, over the weekend for failure to comply and update his whereabouts with the Kentucky Sex Offender registry. It was Earlwine’s second offense in a year.
Earlywine was convicted of the same charge in Bourbon County last June. He had moved to a place in Bourbon County and had not complied with the requirement that he inform the Kentucky State Registry of his new address.
Since then, Earlywine apparently relocated to Harrison County. According to Dep. Robert Peak of the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department, the convicted sex offender had taken up a new residence within a block of a daycare and across the street from a local gymnastics training center.
Prior to Earlywine’s arrest, Peak said the owner of the gymnastics center alerted local law enforcement about an individual who had been observed watching young people exit the premises.
Following those complaints, the sheriff’s office received reports that the same individual had been spotted Saturday near a public playground.
Acting on a tip, sheriff’s deputies located Earlywine, who was hiding in another apartment apparently aware that law enforcement officers were on his trail.
Earlywine attempted to flee out the back of the apartment when officers knocked on the front door, but two officers positioned at the back of the building ordered the suspect to halt. Earlywine immediately surrendered and was informed of his rights.
According to the arrest report, Earlywine said that he was aware of his conviction of a sex crime and his legal obligation to inform the Kentucky Registry of changes in his address. Being his second offense in a year, his arrest could result in conviction on a Class C felony.
As of Monday afternoon, he was still listed as non-compliant on the Kentucky Sex Offender Registry.
Earlywine appeared in court Monday morning and entered a not guilty plea. He was released on $5,000 bond.