Newton man arrested, Abbeville man sought on sex offense charge

Authorities recently charged two convicted sex offenders with moving without permission.

Henry County Sheriff’s investigators are looking for an Abbeville man who moved without asking their permission. Houston County Sheriff’s investigators arrested a Newton man recently after he failed to notify authorities of his move into Houston County, according to Investigator James Brazier.

Houston County Sheriff’s investigators arrested a convicted sex offender recently after he failed to notify authorities of his move into Houston County, according to Investigator James Brazier.
Deputies arrested 34-year-old Leamon Ashley Riley, of Highway 123, in Newton, and charged him with felony violation of the community notification act. He was arrested Thursday and is being held in the Houston County Jail on a $15,000 bond.

Riley was charged with moving to a residence in the 200 block of Helen Street near Cowarts without telling deputies from either Houston or Geneva counties. Riley also faces charges in Geneva County.

Riley was convicted in March 2001 of felony second-degree rape, according to state records.

“He moved without telling us, and Geneva County,” Brazier said. “If a sex offender wants to move they have to get permission from the county they reside and the county they’re moving into.”

In an unrelated case, Henry County Sheriff’s investigators are looking for 27-year-old Jody Lee Bailey after he failed to notify them of his move from his County Road 57 North home, according to Investigator Andy Mitchell.

Deputies have been looking for Bailey for more than a month on the the felony charge of violating the community notification act, along with probation violation.

Mitchell was convicted in September 2003 of felony second-degree rape. 

“He did not register with us, and he’s changed his address,” Mitchell said. “He’s moved without asking us.” 

Anyone with information about Bailey can call the Henry County Sheriff's Office at 585-3131 or Henry County Crime Stoppers at 585-5200.