Phares

ELKINS – A Randolph County man faces a felony charge after allegedly violating of his sex offender registry requirements.

John Dee Phares Jr., 66, is charged with one count of failure to register as a sex offender second offense, a felony. Phares was being held at the Tygart Valley Regional Jail on a $3,000 10% cash bond that has since been posted.

According to the criminal complaint, filed by Cpl. S.P. Miller with the West Virginia State Police, on Feb. 21, Phares reported to the State Police Elkins Detachment to add a vehicle to his registry.

On that date, Phares reported to Trooper T.E. Workman that he now owned a new vehicle, the complaint states. On March 2, Miller ran Phares’ vehicle registration to verify the title date was within the 10 business days as allowed by state code. Miller observed the title date to be Feb. 4, “placing (Phares) beyond the 10 business days” and in violation of his sex offender registry requirements.

Miller then ran a criminal history check on Phares, the complaint states. Phares reportedly has a prior conviction in Randolph County Magistrate Court for failing to register as a sex offender in 2017.