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June 26, 2008

Carny charged with failing to register as sex offender

PROVIDENCE -- A federal grand jury indictment charges a man who was working for a carnival and concessions company in Rhode Island with failing to register as a sex offender here after he was convicted in Georgia 10 years ago of child molestation.

Leonard F. Roupe is charged under a 2006 federal law that requires a person to register as such in the state to which he or she moves, according to a news release from U.S. Attorney Robert Clark Corrente and U.S. Marshal Burton Stallwood. Since late April, Roupe had been living at a Johnston motel and working in Rhode Island for a carnival concessions and game company.

Deputy U.S. Marshals arrested Roupe on June 6 on a federal complaint, the news release says. According to an affidavit, Roupe, 51, was convicted in Georgia in 1998 of child molestation and was subsequently required under Georgia Law to register as a sex offender. He did register in Georgia initially, but as of June 5, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Sex Offender Registry Web site listed him as having “absconded,” the statement says.

Roupe is charged with two counts of failure to register after traveling interstate: one count with respect to living in Rhode Island and one in connection with working in the state.

If there is a conviction, the maximum penalty for each count is 10 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine.

Roupe has been in federal custody since his arrest and will be brought into U.S. District Court, Providence, for arraignment, the release says. It does not provide a time for the arraignment and does not say which company employed Roupe.

-- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney

Posted by Mike McKinney  at 12:04 PM | Permalink

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