1 failure-to-register case dropped

One of nine men wanted for failing to register as sex offenders in December was not required to do so after all.

Roy L. Pegg, 62, whose last known address was in Jackson, had been convicted of felony sexual misconduct conviction involving a child, but that conviction was vacated by the St. Charles County circuit court Dec. 2, 2005, according to Sgt. Sharon Jones of the Cape Gir?ardeau County Sheriff's Department.

Jones notified Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle of the vacated charge Jan. 17. Swingle said Pegg's charge of failure to register was dismissed Jan. 25.

Of the remaining wanted men, two have been convicted of failure to register, a misdemeanor, and five are making their way through the court system. A warrant is still out for one of the men.

Mark A. Williams, 41, of 1021 Village Lane, was sentenced to 46 days in jail Jan. 22. He was convicted of aggravated criminal sexual assault. Robert E. Spears, 50, of 1010 N. West End Blvd., was sentenced to 60 days in jail Feb. 1. He was convicted of first-degree child molestation.

Adam Taylor, 23, of Malden, Mo., formerly of Cape Gir?ardeau, was assigned a bench trial date of March 2 on Friday. He was convicted of first-degree sexual misconduct.

Michael S. Richards, 38, convicted of sexual assault, turned himself in to authorities the day the warrants were issued in December. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for Wednesday.

Michael Osborne, 36, of 149 E St., appears before Associate Circuit Judge Gary Kamp today for his initial arraignment. He was convicted of rape of a person under age 18.

Norman Copeland, 27, of Jackson is set for jury trial March 16. He is convicted of second-degree statutory rape.

Jeremiah Twiggs, 23, 133 S. Benton St., convicted of second-degree child molestation in 2001, has been in state prison since 2003 serving a seven-year sentence for drug trafficking.

Wince L. Fletcher, 25, of 2039 Perryville Road, convicted of statutory rape in Tennessee, is still at large. The warrant issued for him in December has a $1,000 bond.

Swingle said in December he was going to seek jail time on every offender and that there is no excuse for offenders' failure to register.

Cape Girardeau County Sheriff's Department Lt. David James said the department initiated the crackdown to curtail abuses by convicted sex offenders who don't register.

"We've warned and warned and warned," he said when the warrants were issued. "And now it's time to start charging people."

To see a listing of registered sex offenders in Cape Girardeau County, go to the Cape Girardeau County Sheriff's Web site at www.capecountysheriff.org.

carel@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 127