A registered sex offender has been arrested in Pittsburg County after failing to report a change of address, a violation of Oklahoma’s Sex Offender Registration Act.
According to an affidavit, Michael Richard Darland, 43, was found living on Huckleberry Drive in Longtown. However, his registered address was listed on 380 E Oak Dr. Deputies observed Darland’s vehicles at the Huckleberry residence multiple times between June 10 and June 13. Meanwhile, the Oak Drive home appeared abandoned, with no signs of activity and a door hanger left by deputies remaining untouched for several days.
The owner of the Oak Drive property told investigators that he had allowed Darland to stay in a camper there for two years but had instructed him to leave on May 31. He said he had not seen Darland since.
Darland last verified his address on April 7 but allegedly failed to notify law enforcement of his move, as required by law. Deputies also discovered he omitted a 2001 conviction for first-degree sexual abuse from his registration paperwork. In addition to the current violation, Darland has prior convictions for failing to register as a sex offender in LeFlore County in 2002 and again in 2015. He was also convicted of second-degree sexual assault in Sebastian County, Arkansas, in 2005. His sentences have included suspended terms and a two-year incarceration in the Oklahoma Department of Corrections.
Darland is currently being held over on a $100,000 bond.