Thursday, September 12, 2013
Sex Offender Found To Be Living With Kids
Law enforcement officials report that two individuals were arrested Tuesday after a sex offender was found to be residing inside a household that included children.
A Lawrenceburg Police Officer on patrol reports he was approached by a local business owner who reported that convicted sex offender David March Gabel, age 46, was living inside a house at 321 Jackson Street, with small children.
Authorities report they have had several complaints in the past about the situation, but had been unable to obtain evidence to substantiate the allegations. Once they received the information Tuesday detectives began speaking with neighbors who confirmed that small children lived at the home. They told officers that at least one child caught the school bus there each day.
Detectives report they set up surveillance in the area around 3:00 p.m. Shortly afterwards they observed an adult female walk to the school bus stop, meet a small child, then take the child directly back to Gable’s home.
Prior to approaching the residence, detectives report they placed a call to Gable, reminding him that under the state Sex Offender Registry law he is required to register this month.
They asked repeatedly whether any of his registered information had changed. He told them that he had been laid off from his job, but repeatedly confirmed that he still lived at the Jackson Street address.
Detectives report that when they approached the home they were met by Gable’s girlfriend, Juanita Christine Howell, age 42. She told them she did not know Gable’s whereabouts and that he had not recently been staying at the home.
Detectives asked to see the children who live at the address, but Howell reportedly denied that children were part of the household.
When Howell allowed detectives to check the home they report finding two young children and their mother inside. The children showed detectives their room where they found the children’s clothing and toys. Despite the evidence, they report that Howell repeatedly denied that the children lived there.
The children’s mother told detectives that she and the children did live at the home between 15 and 20 days per month, but that Gable and Howell had led her to believe they had gained approval from a local judge, allowing the children to live there.
Because the mother was cooperative, appeared to have been kept in the dark about the illegal living arrangements and, “Seemed willing to take proper steps to get her children out of the situation,” she was allowed to retain custody. A Department of Children’s Services referral was made.
Reports show that Gable initially denied that he lived with the children, then made several excuses and said that the judge had “given him permission” to do so.
When detectives expressed doubt and offered to contact the judge to verify the claim, they report that both Gable and Howell admitted they had all resided together.
Both Gable and Howell were placed under arrest and transported to the Lawrence County Detention Center. Gable was booked on charges of providing false information to police officer and violation of the sex offender registry law. He was incarcerated without bond.
Howell garnered charges of providing false information to a police officer and facilitation of the violation of the sex offender registry law. She was jailed in lieu of a $6,000 bond. Both were scheduled an initial appearance in Lawrence County General Sessions Court on October 3, 2013.
