Michael D York Repeat Sex Offender - Nabbed by Vigilance

Conviction date: 12/18/1992
Sexual Abuse-1st Degree
Offender's age at conviction: 28
Victim Age: 7

A registered sex offender being investigated on new sex charges inadvertently turned himself in last week when he asked a village police officer for a ride, Madison County sheriff's deputies said Tuesday.

Michael D. York, 44, of 2905 Wo

odman Pond Road, Eaton, was walking in Hamilton on Friday when he asked a village police officer for a ride to Oneida, deputies said.

The suspect apparently didn't know that local police were already investigating him after a couple walking their dog along a canal trail on July 2 had reported seeing York and a younger male in a "suspicious incident."

York gave a statement to sheriff's investigators in Oneida, and later was charged with two felony counts of criminal sexual act. Deputies said the victim was a boy under the age of 15. York remains in the county jail in lieu of $10,000 cash bail or $20,000 bond. A court hearing is pending.

Deputies had investigated the July 2 call but were unable to locate either of the two males seen by the couple. The older man, later identified as York, and a youngster had fled on bicycles after their encounter with the couple.

But the callers later conducted their own Internet search on a sex offender Web site linked with the Madison County Sheriff's Office. They identified the fleeing man as Young, a Level 3 sex offender who served time after a 1992 conviction for first-degree sex abuse in an incident involving a 7-year-old.

The couple, who deputies refused to identify because the investigation is still pending, also searched local school yearbooks to confirm the identity of the victim.

"This is kind of unheard of," Undersheriff Doug Bailey said. "It's great that they helped us out like they did."

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

.........Sarah Tofte