An anonymous tip from the public led to the arrest of a man on four counts of failure to register as a sexual offender recently in Panama City, FL.

Detectives with the Panama City Police Department received a tip from a citizen using their tip411 service regarding a person who was a fugitive from Pennsylvania and included a wanted flyer from the state as well as a press release from PCPD from January regarding a hit-and-run crash investigation.

Through their investigation, police said detectives learned that the suspect was an absconded sexual offender from Pennsylvania and had not registered in the state of Florida since moving here in July of 2021.

Detectives were also able to find a blue 2001 Chevrolet pickup truck that was believed to be involved in a hit and run accident on 23rd Street in January. Police said the truck had damage like that observed in surveillance video from the crash. The suspect was arrested and charged with four counts of failure to register as a sex offender, failure to update his address, identification, phone number and vehicle information, leaving the scene of an accident with property damage, tampering with evidence and driving with license suspended or revoked.

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