An Ocala sex offender was jailed Thursday after failing to update his information with the Marion County Sheriff’s Office.
Michael Paul Bolton, 37, who listed his address in February in the 13500 block of SW 2nd Pl. in Ocala, was convicted in Marion County on Feb. 7, 2005 of lewd or lascivious behavior with a victim 12-15 years of age. He was required to register as a sex offender, which he initially did in January 2005 and has subsequently done 16 times since then, with the most recent filing being on Feb. 1, a sheriff’s office report states.
Bolton’s actual registered address is being withheld because he hasn’t lived there in at least a month.
In February, Bolton signed a document stating that he understood within 48 hours after any change in his permanent, temporary or transient residence, he was required to report in person to a Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles office to update his driver’s license or identification card, the report says.
On July 10, a deputy received a tip through the Offender Watch System that Bolton hadn’t lived at the residence on SW 2nd Pl. in a month. The tip advised that he was living at other Ocala addresses. And it stated that he had lost 115 pounds and “needs help,” the report says.
Three days later, a woman at the home on SW 2nd Place told the deputy that Bolton hadn’t lived there in a month. She claimed that he was taking drugs and was staying at a nearby “drug house,” the report says.
A man at the residence said Bolton had stopped by three days earlier to pick up some of his belongings. Bolton’s brother said he had told him that he was required to be at the residence but he “does not listen because he is on drugs.” And he said Bolton was talking about leaving the state, the report says.
On Wednesday, Bolton’s mother told the deputy that he “is on drugs very bad” and hadn’t lived at his residence for at least 30 days. She said he was living at a drug house and she had told him that he must report his address to the sheriff’s office but he “will not listen,” the report says.
Bolton was arrested Thursday and transported to the Marion County Jail, where he was charged with the sex offender violations of failing to report both a name or residence change and vacating a residence. He is being held on $10,000 bond and is due in court Aug. 20 at 9 a.m. to answer to the charges.