A traffic stop may have been a missed opportunity to catch a dangerous sex predator. Apparently the key to his freedom was the key to a stolen van.
Some would call Elijah Lewis a "lucky man." The 55-year-old convicted sex offender has been in and out of prison for the past 30 years, with convictions for aggravated rape, kidnapping, theft, and drug charges.
But instead of being locked up, Lewis is missing. Even though a Harris County deputy had him in custody just a few weeks ago.
When Lewis got out of state jail in January, he was required to register as a sex offender. He didn't, authorities say, and now, they're trying to find him.
But just four weeks ago, they had him-- pulled over on a traffic stop in a known drug area. And the records show Lewis was driving a stolen van.
But when the deputy tried to charge him, an assistant district attorney refused to accept charges, and let him go.
"Well, in his history, he's also got prior theft convictions, so you shouldn't be surprised he was driving a stolen vehicle," said the Mayor's Crime Victim's Advocate Andy Kahan, scanning Lewis' record online.
The surprise is that Elijah Lewis didn't get hauled off to jail, especially since we're told he was also driving with a suspended license, with two convicted felons also in the van. And Lewis is hardly a saint.
"He's got a rap sheet a mile long", said Kahan, "and he's classified as a very frightening sex offender."
An Assistant District Attorney involved in freeing Lewis couldn't recall the specifics of the case. But he told us a person can't usually be charged with Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle, unless you have some kind of evidence --- like a busted steering column -- to prove he knew the car was stolen.
Cops knew it. The van's owner knew it. But since there was no way to prove Lewis knew it, the D.A. let him drive away. Now, sex offender investigators are looking for him.
And so is his family. We found Lewis' brother-in-law outside a Crosby area house which Lewis claimed as his home address on arrest records.
"None of the family members have any idea where he is," James Banks told us.
Regardless of Lewis' felony rap sheet, the DA's Office says they can't normally consider prior criminal history when considering whether to charge a guy.
While Lewis got off without charges, the other two in the van with him were not so fortunate. One was charged with possessing a crack pipe. The other was arrested on an open domestic assault warrant.
For Lewis, it was his lucky day..........Sarah Tofte
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