Roderick Christopher Stewart
A nearly seven-month investigation culminated Monday, with the arrest of a man registered in Alabama as a sex offender.
Roderick Christopher Stewart, 31 of Luverne, Ala., faces charges of statutory rape, sexual exploitation of a minor and taking indecent liberties with a minor after an incident was reported to the Graham County Sheriff’s Office in February.
According to a press release issued to The Graham Star on Monday, Stewart briefly lived and worked in Graham County for three months, with the alleged incident with a 12-year-old female juvenile taking place during his residency.
Stewart holds a previous conviction that warranted his registration as a sex offender in Alabama, but did not register with either the sheriff’s office or the state of North Carolina while residing in Graham County. The press release notes that Stewart was already in custody in Georgia for other charges when the report was received in February and he was also wanted for charges in Alabama.
The Graham Star was able to confirm that Stewart was arrested by Gordon County (Calhoun, Ga.) deputies Feb. 23 and charged with loitering or prowling, possession of marijuana (less than 1 oz.) and being a fugitive from justice.
The sheriff’s office traveled to Alabama when he was released from custody Monday, to transport Stewart back to Graham County. All told, he faces the following charges:
* Failure to register as a sex offender;
* Two counts of first-degree statutory rape;
* Three counts of first-degree sexual exploitation of a minor;
* Three counts of statutory sex offense;
* Three counts of indecent liberties with a minor.
Stewart was taken before a magistrate upon his arrival to Graham County and was given a $1 million bond. He should be considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.