LAWRENCE CO. – A Mitchell man, Dale E. Jones, 44, is facing two felony charges: failure to register as a sex or violent offender with a prior conviction, a Level 5 felony, and offender residency restrictions violation, a Level 6 felony. The charges follow an investigation by the Lawrence County Police Department.
According to a probable cause affidavit filed by Special Deputy Chad Hillenburg on July 8, 2025, the investigation began on July 7, 2025, when Deputy Calvin Callahan informed Deputy Hillenburg about a drug investigation involving Jones, who was at Transitions Recovery, a facility located in Heltonville. Deputy Hillenburg recognized Jones’s name as being on the sex offender registry and confirmed his identity.
Records indicate that Jones pleaded guilty to child molesting on June 11, 2013, which requires him to register as a sex offender for life. He also has a prior conviction from May 26, 2021, for failure to register as a sex or violent offender. Due to his victim being under 12 years old (specifically, 3 years old), Jones is classified as an offender against children with a lifetime registration requirement.
On July 7, 2025, Deputy Hillenburg contacted an administrator at Transitions Recovery, who confirmed Jones had been staying at the Heltonville location since July 3, 2025. Johnson stated that Jones had not disclosed his offender status to the facility. Jones was reportedly directed to Transitions Recovery by his Indiana State Parole Agent King after failing a drug screening at his Mitchell residence on Huron Williams Road on July 3, 2025.
Due to that, Jones is facing a charge of possession of meth.
Deputy Hillenburg’s investigation revealed that Transitions Recovery is located near Pleasant Run Park (650 Diamond Road, Heltonville), which is classified as a Youth Program Center. Indiana law (IC 35-42-4-11) prohibits offenders against children from residing (spending more than three nights) within 1,000 feet of a school, youth program center, or public park.
Based on Jones’s staying at Transitions Recovery for four consecutive nights (July 3, 4, 5, and 6), Deputy Hillenburg believes Jones violated this residency restriction. Furthermore, Jones allegedly failed to register his intent to spend more than seven nights in fourteen days at the facility, a requirement given the program’s 28-day length.
The affidavit notes that Jones signed a sex or violent offender registration (SVOR) form on March 10, 2025, acknowledging his understanding of his registration duties and obligations.
Based on these findings, Deputy Hillenburg has probable cause to believe that Dale E. Jones violated Indiana statutes regarding sex offender registration and residency restrictions, and an arrest warrant was requested. He was detained on July 14.
A Probable Cause Affidavit outlines the initial findings and allegations that led to an arrest. Criminal charges are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
