A registered sex offender was arrested last week after he showed up at the Marion County Sheriff’s Office and said he wanted to go to jail.
Thomas Anthony DeGennaro, 51, whose last reported address was the Economy Inn at 3520 E. Silver Springs Blvd. in Ocala, was charged with failing to provide required information during registration as a sex offender. DeGennaro was originally convicted of sexual battery in Marion County in January 2012 and is required to re-register twice a year and report any change of address within 48 hours.
On June 4, DeGennaro reported to the sheriff’s office sexual offender and predator unit to register. He said he was moving to Marion County for work. During the registration process, DeGennaro refused to provide an address, saying he was going to be homeless. When told he needed to provide an address or location where he would be homeless, he said he would get a room at the Economy Inn, according to the sheriff’s office report.
On June 9, DeGennaro returned to the sexual offender and predator unit and said he wanted to go to jail. He said he didn’t have an address and was homeless. When asked where he had been staying since he left the Economy Inn, he said he had been staying near Churchill Square. DeGennaro was told that was a restricted area because it is within 1500 feet of Blessed Trinity School. He was then unable to provide an address where he would be residing homeless, the report said.
A deputy checked with the owner of the Economy Inn and was told that DeGennaro had not stayed at the motel in over a year, according to the report.
DeGennaro is being held on $500 bond and will appear in Marion County Court on July 14.