EMMET COUNTY, MI. On Wednesday evening, April 10, 2024, the Gaylord Regional Communication
Center was contacted by a member of a police agency in West Virgina requesting assistance from the
Michigan State Police (MSP). Troopers from the MSP Gaylord Post spoke with an officer from the West
Virginia police department. The officer told troopers his agency was investigating a missing juvenile, and
his agency has information indicating the missing juvenile is in the Petoskey area. The officer also said
they had reason to believe the juvenile was with a registered sex offender.
Troopers were able to obtain a search warrant for a residence in Petoskey. Troopers executed the
search warrant and found the missing juvenile. The person harboring her, a 26-year-old man, is a
registered sex offender with a previous conviction of criminal sexual conduct victim under 13. He was
home when troopers arrived at the residence. The man stated he knew the juvenile was reported missing
and he was allowing her to stay with him.
The man was arrested and lodged in the Emmet County Jail. The juvenile was transported to the MSP
Gaylord Post and arrangements are being made to return her to her home in West Virginia. The police
department in West Virginia is handling the investigation as to how the juvenile and the sex offender met
and ended up together.
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