A Whitley District Judge sentenced an Ohio sex offender to six months in jail Monday morning for allegedly giving a Kentucky State Trooper a false name when he was arrested last month.
On Nov. 13, Kentucky State Police Trooper K.Y. Fuson charged James W. Friesel, 45, of 1934 Ky. 1804, with being an out-of-state sex offender registrant that had moved to Kentucky, giving an officer a false name or address, and had four other traffic related offenses.
About 3:07 p.m. on Nov. 13, Fuson went to a residence on Ky. 1804 to investigate a complaint that a sex offender from Ohio had moved to a residence occupied by Bennie Leach, Fuson wrote on the arrest citation.
When Fuson arrived at the residence, Friesel also pulled into Leach’s driveway at the same time.
Friesel’s Dodge Ram truck had an Ohio tag, but he currently lives in Kentucky, Fuson wrote.
Friesel initially told police that his name was James Mannon, and was warned several times about giving police a false name, Fuson wrote.
After Fuson checked the suspect and matched his tattoos to those belonging to Friesel, he told police his true name, Fuson noted on the citation.
Friesel pleaded guilty Monday morning to giving an officer a false name or address, no insurance, and not having his license on him.
District Judge Jason Price sentenced him to six months in jail and credited him with 18 days already served.
The out-of-state sex offender resident charge was dismissed with the prerequisite that Friesel either leave the state or register as a sex offender in Kentucky.
Price fined Friesel $525 and agreed to dismiss all other charges as part of the plea agreement.
Friesel is also wanted in Ohio for another sex offense, but that they are not trying to extradite him at this time, Fuson noted on the arrest citation.
The Ohio Attorney General’s Sex Offender Registry lists Friesel as being wanted on an outstanding warrant for failure to register, which was issued on June 17 in Hancock County, Ohio.
Friesel’s prior offenses include unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, breaking and entering, and failure to verify address, according to the registry.
The registry lists his status as being non-compliant, and the victim in the sexual conduct case a female youth.
