Sex Offender Charged With Entering Iredell School Property

MOORESVILLE, NC — A registered sex offender was arrested Tuesday, charged with entering the property of an Iredell County school, according to the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office.

According to a report by ICSO, the Iredell County Sex Offender Registration Unit received information that John Paul Berry, who is a registered sex offender living in Alexander County, entered the property of the Celeste Henkel Elementary School located at 1503 Old Mountain Road in Statesville on Jan. 18.

Technology helped provide the tip, according to one law enforcement officer.

"Apparently, the gentleman is on an ankle monitor, and they have him kind of geocached off where he can’t be, or geofenced rather, in areas where he’s not supposed to be," ICSO Captain William Hamby told WSOC.

Iredell Deputies responded to the school, but were unable to locate Berry, 33, who witnesses said walked onto the school grounds.

An arrest warrant was taken out and Berry was taken into custody without incident at 20 Springfield Drive in Stony Point, North Carolina with assistance of Alexander County Probation officials, ICSO said.

Berry was charged with felony sex offender on child premises and was taken to the Iredell County Detention Center. His secured bond was set at $15,000.

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Photo courtesy of the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office