Pocatello man charged with felony for failing to register as a sex offender

Michael Anthony Otero | Bannock County Jail
POCATELLO — A man who provided a non-existent physical address when he updated his sex offender registration information has been charged with two felonies.
Michael Anthony Otero, 53, has been charged with failing to register as a sex offender and providing false information to law enforcement, court documents show.
Officers with the Pocatello Police Department attempted to make contact with Otero on Jan. 31, according to an affidavit of probable cause.
The affidavit says that officers wanted to speak with Otero because the address he listed in his registration information would put him within 500 feet of a school, which is illegal for a sex offender.
The address Otero provided law enforcement when he moved to Pocatello from Canyon County on Jan. 27 was on the 600 block of West Bridger Street. However, when officers arrived in the area, the address Otero had provided did not exist.
According to the affidavit, Otero’s registration information said that he was living in a tan Chevrolet Suburban without license plates.
Officers were able to find a vehicle matching that description in a carport a block away from the location provided by Otero. When they spoke with the owner of the vehicle, officers were told that Otero had not been living in the vehicle, and the owner had never heard of Otero.
Officers searched the area and found Otero in the front yard of a home on the 600 block of North Hayes Avenue.
Otero told the officers that he was living at this address and apologized for the miscommunication, as he thought the address was on West Bridger Street.
Officers gave Otero two days to make the proper changes to his registration information.
After two days, and no changes to the registration documentation, officers returned to the home on North Hayes Avenue but were unable to find Otero.
Officers located Otero about two miles away on East Fremont Street and arrested him. He was transported to Bannock County Jail, where he is currently being held.
If he is found guilty, Otero would face up to 20 years in prison and $55,000 in fines.
He is scheduled to appear before Magistrate Judge Thomas Clark for a preliminary hearing on March 8.
The post Pocatello man charged with felony for failing to register as a sex offender appeared first on East Idaho News.
Source: eastidahonews.com