Registered Sex Offender Arrested for Failing to Report Southeast Residence

A registered sex offender is in Putnam County Jail for failing to report where he was living in Southeast.

William M. Deitz, 66, was arrested April 2 after he was found in an apartment at 2469 Route 6, according to the Putnam Sheriff’s Office.

Deitz, who is a registered “level 3” (high risk) sex offender, had last reported that he was living at the Henry Van Motel on Sodom Road.

Investigators allege that he moved out of the motel at the end of last year and failed to report a new address.

The New York State Sex Offender Registration Act, commonly referred to as Meghan’s Law, requires registered sex offenders to report an address change to the State Sex Offender Registry or to a local law enforcement agency within 10 days.

The Sheriff’s Office posted a wanted flyer for Mr. Deitz on its department website on March 31, seeking information from the public.

SEE: Southeast Court Issues Warrant for Sex Offender Who Failed to Register Address

Within two days, investigators received a call from a tipster who reported that he saw the flier on a social media site and recognized the suspect as a man who was living at the Route 6 apartment under the alias of “Mickey.”

Within an hour of receiving the tip, an investigator and a deputy sheriff went to the apartment, located Deitz there, and took him into custody on an arrest warrant.

Deitz was arraigned in the Town of Southeast Justice Court and sent to the Putnam County Correctional Facility in lieu of $10,000 bail.

He remains held in the jail as of April 6 and is scheduled to return to the court to answer the charge on April 14. Mr. Deitz’s alleged failure to report his change of address is a class E felony. If convicted, he would face up to four years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to $5,000.