BEDFORD — A homeless man has been charged with two Level 6 felonies in Lawrence County after allegedly failing to comply with his legal obligations as a registered sex offender.
Troy Allen Terry, 57, currently listed as homeless in Bedford, is facing charges of failure to register and failure to notify the sex offender registry of absence, according to a probable cause affidavit filed by Detective Michael Williams of the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department.
The alleged offenses are believed to have occurred between May 13, 2025, and September 24, 2025.
The investigation was initiated on September 26, 2025, after Aaron Shoults, the Sex Offender Registry (SVOR) Coordinator for the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department, notified officers that Terry had allegedly failed to comply with his registry requirements.
The affidavit details that on September 19, 2025, Special Deputy R. Blackburn conducted a compliance verification check at Terry’s last registered address in the 300 block of 18th Street. Deputy Blackburn confirmed Terry was not living at the listed location. Deputy Blackburn spoke with the female owner of the home, who provided a signed statement confirming that Terry had not lived there since April 2025.
Under Indiana law, registered sex offenders must notify the Sheriff’s Department immediately if they change their principal address, and must notify authorities if they will be absent from their primary address for longer than 72 hours. Detective Williams noted Terry violated both statutes.
Later that day, September 26, Terry arrived at the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department for a scheduled appointment with Coordinator Shoults.
During the meeting, when asked about his current living situation, Terry stated he was homeless. The affidavit confirms that Terry admitted to not having made the required notification to the Sheriff’s Office regarding his lack of a fixed address.
Terry was subsequently required to complete new registration paperwork establishing his homeless status and mandating that he sign in at the Sheriff’s Department every seven days.
Based on the evidence, Detective Williams requested that a warrant be issued for Terry’s arrest.
All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. This article is based on the information provided in the Probable Cause Affidavit and does not represent a final determination of guilt or innocence.
