Kittson County (trfnews.i234.me) – A convicted sex offender from Illinois, Thomas Vincent Smith, 52, has been charged in Kittson County District Court for failing to register as a predatory offender while living in Hallock, Minnesota, for nearly three years.
Smith, previously convicted of aggravated criminal sexual abuse in 2004 and required to register as a lifetime predatory offender in Illinois, allegedly failed to notify authorities of his relocation. A welfare fraud specialist tipped off authorities after reviewing suspicious paperwork filled out by Smith.
The Kittson County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Smith was not registered locally. A warrant in Illinois for Smith listed him as a non-compliant offender, but authorities there declined extradition for out-of-state offenses. Smith was ultimately located living with a resident and taken into custody after invoking his right to an attorney.
Smith now faces a felony charge under Minnesota law, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison. He had prior convictions for registration violations in Illinois as recently as 2022.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News