Newport Man Charged with Failing to Register Sex Offender Address Change

NEWPORT, RI—Police charged Michael L. Plant, 41, a registered sex offender, with failing to report a change of address on Thursday.

Police said Plant was arrested outside Pell Elementary School after dropping off a child at around 8:45 a.m. Officers were aware there was a warrant for Plant's arrest and knew that he drops off the child almost daily at the school.

Police said he arrived as expected and was taken into custody without incident.

He was later released on surety bail and will return to court on Oct. 27.

Court records show Plant was convicted in 1998 for second-degree child molestation and sentenced to 13 years in prison, one to serve. Three counts of first-degree child molestation were dismissed in exchange for a no-contest plea to the second-degree molestation charge.

According to a police report, Plant was registered at an address on Carroll Avenue but recent address verification investigations showed he wasn't there.

Detectives learned that he had been leasing a vehicle with Massachusetts license plants and later learned he had given an address on Pleasant Street in Fall River. They then discovered he has been paying rent and living in Fall River with his girlfriend for the past few years.