Crime & Safety
Sex Offender Arrested For Suspected Assault Of Girl, 17
The 28-year-old register offender was on parole from a 2015 conviction, authorities said.
SANTA ROSA, CA – Santa Rosa police on Thursday arrested a registered sex offender on suspicion of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old girl in June.
Benjamin Thomas Shumate, 28, was on parole for a 2015 conviction in San Diego County for arranging to meet a minor for sexual purposes, Sgt. Brenda Harrington said.
Shumate was sentenced to four years in prison and was released and paroled to Sonoma County in May 2016, according to Harrington.
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He was living in Rio Nido when he met the teen on a dating application and met with her a few times in Santa Rosa, Harrington said.
On one occasion he sexually assaulted the girl but the assault was not immediately reported, Harrington said.
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Santa Rosa police detectives developed probable cause to show Shumate assaulted the teen, and detectives and parole agents took him into custody Thursday.
Shumate was booked in the Sonoma County jail on suspicion of violating parole, unlawful sex with a minor and two other sex offenses.
--Bay City News/Image via Renee Schiavone
