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Last updated on Thursday, March 24, 2016
(BLOOMFIELD) - A Linton man appeared in Greene Circuit Court Monday for failing to register as a sex offender with a prior conviction.
36-year-old Christopher L. Shonk was charged with Level 6 felony failure to register as a sex offender and Level 5 felony failure to register as a sex offender with a prior conviction. He was arrested Saturday morning, with bond set at $14,000.
According to a probable cause affidavit filed by Greene County Sheriff's Deputy Harvey Holt, the charges are related to incidents beginning June 26, 2015, when Greene County Sex Offender Registrar Denise Andrew reportedly received information Shonk was violating the parameters of his probation by staying at his girlfriend's residence, rather than at his registered address.
As of May 20, Shonk had registered at 8th Street address in Linton. On June 26, Holt did a residence verification. During the course of the verification, the deputy spoke with Shonk who said he was not staying at his girlfriend's house.
On July 10, Holt reported the registrar received information from Shonk's parole agent that Shonk allegedly admitted to not staying at his registered address.
Holt later spoke with Shonk's girlfriend's neighbors who reported they had seen the male at the girlfriend's residence nearly every day.
A child associated with the residence reportedly told the deputy that Shonk was supposed to go home in the evenings, but for a week or two straight he would stay with his girlfriend.
Holt also learned of a Facebook account Shonk had been using under the name "Justin Davis."
During a later discussion with his parole officer, Shonk allegedly said he would not "do what his parole officer said," which included breaking up with his girlfriend and not going over to her house.
Shonk asked the people with which he was staying to lie to his parole officer, as well as allegedly requested a text message be sent to his girlfriend's phone if the police were looking for him.
His girlfriend also allegedly admitted to Shonk staying at her residence. But, she reported he only stayed a few days at a time, except for the final week because he had been kicked out of the 8th Street address.
During an interview, Shonk initially said he only spent one night at his girlfriend's residence, but later said it may have been more. He also denied having a Facebook account under a different name.
He reportedly told Deputy Holt "it may have been an honest mistake."
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