Jaime Thomas Hartness - Repeat Sex Offender

13% of all new sex crimes are committed by
registered sex offenders.
Currently registered sex offenders are
one fifth of one percent of the population


0.2% of the population is committing 13%
of all NEW sex crimes
per Sarah Tofte

"25% of all sex offenders re-offend within 15 years"
..... Sarah Tofte

An arrest warrant was issued Wednesday for a registered sex offender from Joplin, Mo., after he reportedly failed to appear in municipal court in Pittsburg for his trial on charges of sexual battery.

Jaime Thomas Hartness, 27, whose last court-recorded address was 432 N. Moffet Ave. in Joplin, is charged with two counts of misdemeanor sexual battery, stemming from two incidents Oct. 21 involving Pittsburg women.

Hartness is accused of assaulting a female jogger near Pittsburg State University, according to a report filed with the university’s police and parking services, and of accosting an employee at the Broadway Productions costume shop, 216 S. Broadway, later that afternoon.

In addition to those charges, City Attorney John Mazurek said, the city also plans to pursue charges against Hartness of driving without insurance and driving without a license.

“We’re going to go after this guy,” Mazurek said after court Wednesday.

According to court records, Hartness has been a registered sex offender since being convicted in 1999 in Washington County, Ark., on one count each of aggravated sexual abuse, indecent exposure and attempted sexual abuse.

Hartness also was convicted in 2000 in Fayetteville, Ark., on one count of indecent exposure.

He also was convicted in 2005 in Jasper County Circuit Court on a charge of failing to register as sex offender, a Class A misdemeanor, and in March 2007 on a charge of disturbing the peace, a Class B misdemeanor.

Request granted

An attorney for Jaime Thomas Hartness, Dean Wilson, of Joplin, appeared in court and requested to withdraw his entry of appearance. Judge Richard Smith granted the request.