DEXTER, Mo. -- A Florida man is behind bars in Stoddard County following an arrest by the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force and the Dexter Police Department.
Michel D. Depriest, 47, was arrested Monday morning at 609 Two Mile Road in Dexter on a sexual battery charge and for not registering as a sex offender in Florida.
According to Dexter police chief Paul Haubold, the residence was that of Depriest's father and brother.
According to the incident report, once officers arrived at the residence, they were told that Depriest had been there but had left a few days ago. When officers asked to search the residence, they were at first told to get a search warrant.
Shortly thereafter, a person in the residence said Depriest was in one of the bedrooms.
Depriest then came out and the marshals arrested him.
He awaits extradition to Florida.
According to the arrest warrant from Madison County, Fla., Depriest was charged with sexual battery for engaging in a sexual act July 4 with a person between 12 and 18 years old.
The warrant said that on Sept. 8 he was declared a sex offender and that he failed to register within the required 48 hours with either a temporary or permanent address.
According to Florida's sex offender website, Depriest was also charged in March with sexual battery involving a victim over 12 by threat of force or violence and kidnapping.
The arrest warrant was issued Sept. 11 and shows no bond for the two charges he faces.
Connect with the Southeast Missourian Newsroom:
For corrections to this story or other insights for the editor, click here. To submit a letter to the editor, click here. To learn about the Southeast Missourian’s AI Policy, click here.