According to Searcy County Sheriff Kenny Cassell, a level 4 sex offender as registered in Searcy County. Cassell said the offender, 52 year old Joseph Scott Ritter (pictured above) is residing in the Fawn Road area near the Searcy/Baxter county line.

  According to Searcy County Sex Offender Coordinator Cari Seaton, Ritter, who is 5 ft. 9 in. tall and weighs 175 pounds, was convicted of kidnapping and rape. The incident involved Ritter breaking into the home of a 23 year old female stranger, who he took to his residence and assaulted and tortured her until she was able to escape.

  Seaton said that Ritter's offense was against an adult female, but due to the contents of his risk assessment, law enforcement cannot limit his target to adult females only. Seaton explained that a Level 4 offender is labeled as a "sexually dangerous person." She said these are individuals who have sexual or violent compulsions and lack the ability to maintain control.

  Ritter was recently granted parole after serving 20+ years in the Arkansas Department of Corrections.