BEDFORD – A Mitchell man is facing a felony charge after authorities say he failed to meet the required registration requirements for the state’s sex offender registry.
According to a probable cause affidavit filed by Brandon Blackwell with the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office, 29-year-old Austin C. Jones is accused of violating Indiana Code 11-8-8-17.
Investigators say Jones, who is classified as a sexually violent predator, is required to register in person with the sheriff’s office every 90 days for the rest of his life.
According to the affidavit, Jones last completed his registration on Nov. 7, 2025, when he met with the county’s Sex and Violent Offender Registry coordinator and signed paperwork acknowledging that his next registration appointment would take place on Feb. 5, 2026, at 2 p.m.
Officials say Jones did not appear for that scheduled appointment. The registry coordinator reportedly attempted to contact him by phone around 2:30 p.m. that day but did not receive a response.
As of Feb. 9, authorities said Jones had not contacted the sheriff’s office or appeared in person to complete the required registration.
Jones was previously convicted in 2019 in Marion County in a case related to the offense that requires him to remain on the registry.
Authorities have requested that a warrant be issued for Jones’ arrest on the charge of failure to register as a sex or violent offender in Lawrence County. He was detained on March 4, 2026.
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.
