Staff Report

WARSAW — A Warsaw man was booked into the Kosciusko County Jail after a suspicious vehicle complaint resulted in the discovery that he failed to register as a sex offender.

Robert Michael Thompson

Robert Michael Thompson Jr., 48, 221 W. Main St., Warsaw, is charged with failure to register under sex offender statute, a level 6 felony. 

According to the affidavit of probable cause, on Feb. 28, a Warsaw Police officer responded to a suspicious vehicle complaint. Upon arrival, the officer encountered a man, later identified as Thompson. After completing an inquiry on Thompson, the officer found information indicating an arrest warrant out of North Dakota for failure to register as a sex offender; however, North Dakota would only extradite Thompson in surrounding states. Thompson was asked to leave the property at that time.

In March, Warsaw Police investigated a traffic collision with Thompson being one of the drivers in the crash.

On May 13, a Kosciusko County Sheriff’s deputy responded to a report of a suspicious vehicle and found Thompson sleeping in his vehicle. 

A week later, a Winona Lake police officer responded to a similar complaint. The officer found a vehicle occupied by Thompson who said he was parked in the lot due to being homeless. The officer completed an inquiry on Thompson and found information related to the arrest warrant out of the State of North Dakota.

On May 21, a KCSO deputy contacted Thompson’s place of employment and confirmed he had been employed there since February 2021. 

Thompson was convicted of corruption of a minor in the Richland County Southeast Judicial District Court on Sept. 20, 2016. He was ordered to register as a sex offender with the North Dakota Offender Registration, which was signed by Thompson on Aug. 10, 2020.

Thompson was obligated to register as a sex offender between Feb. 28 and May 20.

Thompson was booked at the Kosciusko County Jail on July 15 on a $5,250 surety and cash bond.