A convicted sex offender from New York is behind bars after allegedly sexually assaulting a young woman just outside the view of a Web cam and within earshot of a cellular phone.
According to McMechen Police Chief Dave Robinson, Clarence Randolph Valtin, 44, was arrested last week at his home after a Pittsburgh woman alerted police to the alleged sexual assault.
Robinson said the Pittsburgh woman claims she was chatting via Web cam with the alleged victim, who kept saying Valtin was holding her in his Marshall Street residence against her will. The woman told investigators that Valtin then came in the room, and both he and the victim left the view of the Web cam.
The Pittsburgh woman "said something occurred outside of the Web cam and then the (alleged victim) came back into view," Robinson said.
The woman called local police, who arrived at the home and questioned the alleged victim, Robinson said. Based on the victim's statement, investigators believe Valtin sexually assaulted her, Robinson said. He added that investigators have also spoken to another witness who claims she was speaking on the phone with the alleged victim at the time of the assault and heard it take place.
"There was a sexual assault, which we are currently investigating," Robinson said.
During the investigation, officers learned Valtin was on parole for a third-degree sodomy conviction from New York in which he sexually assaulted a 15-year-old girl in 2000.
Robinson said federal investigators were called upon and have revoked his parole, taking him to the Northern Regional Jail on that parole violation charge.
Because Valtin is already in jail without bond, Robinson said investigators can take more time to gather evidence, including that from a rape kit, before bringing sexual assault charges against Valtin. He said those charges will be filed within the next day or so.
Robinson said Valtin may have moved to the area after being paroled because his wife, who now lives in another state, has family here.
In 2004, Valtin was found guilty of failure to register as a sex offender in Marshall County Magistrate Court and sentenced to one year unsupervised probation. He was also ordered to register as a sex offender; however, on Monday, Valtin was not listed on West Virginia's online sex offender registry.
According to a sex offender registry spokesman, this is because any time a registered sex offender is arrested, their profile is pulled from the site as their address officially changes from that of their residence to that of the jail where they are being held. The spokesman said once the offender is released from jail, their profile is re-listed in the registry.
According to the New York State Sex Offender Registry, Valtin is listed as a level one sex offender, which is the lowest-risk designation offered with that registry.
.........Sarah Tofte
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