Two Washington County men wanted as Megan’s Law violators
State police are asking the public for help in locating two Washington County men who are among 145 offenders across Pennsylvania wanted on felony arrest warrants for violating registration requirements under the state’s Megan’s Law.
Rickey A. Gatts, 47, whose last known address was East Hallam Avenue, Washington, and James Robert Grant, 44, whose last known address was Grant Street, Charleroi, are among the offenders whose names were released as absconders on Thursday by state police in Harrisburg. District Judge Larry Hopkins issued a warrant for Grant on May 21, 2012, for failure to verify his address as required while District Judge Robert Redlinger issued a warrant for Gatts on Oct. 15, 2014, for failure to comply with registration of sexual offender requirements.
Individuals convicted of sexually violent offenses are required under Megan’s Law to register with the state police and to update and periodically verify their information at an approved registration site.
“Once the individual has failed to register or verify their information, they become noncompliant,” said Trooper Adam Reed, state police spokesman in Harrisburg. “Then we send out an investigation request to the police department where the individual lives, whether that is local or state police.”
“It is up to them to verify the individual’s status and the circumstances behind the noncompliance,” he added. “If the individual cannot be located, a warrant is obtained and they are considered absconded.”
The state’s rate of noncompliance is less than 2 percent, which is well below the state average, the trooper added.
Reed said that the names of offenders are generally posted on the state police Facebook page but this is the first time that such a list has been distributed to the media. There were no Greene County offenders on the list.
“We are looking for the assistance of the public on this,” Reed said.
Anyone with information on the whereabouts of the two men can call city police at 724-223-4226 or Charleroi police at 724-483-8010 or 911. Anyone with a tip can also call the state police Megan’s Law section at 1-866-771-3170 or go onto the website at www.pameganslaw.state.pa.us.