COLUMBUS — A Columbus man, Michael O. Kent, 36, is back behind bars just 22 days after his release, following his arrest for allegedly violating his parole by failing to register his residency and living too close to a school.
Kent was initially arrested in October 2022 on charges of illegal sex offender residency violations and unlawful entry by a serious sex offender, according to the Columbus Police Department (CPD). Before that arrest, CPD had received multiple complaints of Kent acting suspiciously and approaching women.
Just over three weeks after his release on June 2, CPD received another similar complaint. The department’s Intelligence Unit initiated covert surveillance on Kent, which revealed he was living within 1,000 feet of a school and had failed to report his new residency to the sex offender coordinator.
Kent is currently held in the Bartholomew County Jail. He faces new charges of failure to register as a serious violent offender and illegal sex offender residency violations.
Those facing criminal charges are considered innocent until proven guilty through due legal proceedings. Accusations alone do not imply guilt; the judicial system will evaluate the presented evidence to reach a verdict.
