Baxter County Sheriff John Montgomery is notifying the public of a level two registered sex offender, considered at moderate risk to re-offend, is living in Baxter County. According to the sheriff 57-year-old Michael Anthony Boutwell is now living at 7630 Highway Five North in Mountain Home. He had previously lived in Baxter County, moved to Iowa in January, 2015 and has since returned.
Montgomery says Boutwell was convicted of sexual assault with a child under 13, a 12-year-old female, in 1999, who was baysitting children in his home. He says community notification is justified due to the young age of the victim at the time the crime occurred.
The sheriff says Michael Boutwell is not wanted by law enforcement at this time and this notification is not intended to increase fear, but rather it is his belief that an informed public is a safer public. This information cannot be used to threaten, intimidate or harass registered sex offenders, says the sheriff, and citizen abuse will not be tolerated. Such abuse could potentially end law enforcement’s ability to do community notifications.
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