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Protest Held In Mulberry Over Sex Offender’s Continued Arrests, Releases

MULBERRY (KFSM) — Mulberry residents voiced their frustrations Thursday (July 28) after a sex offender had been arrested twice and then released on bond t...

MULBERRY (KFSM) -- Mulberry residents voiced their frustrations Thursday (July 28) after a sex offender had been arrested twice and then released on bond twice.

Michael Roe, 60, was released on a $100,000 bond from the Franklin County Jail July 19 after he was arrested on suspicion of two counts for transporting a minor for sexual conduct and two counts of fourth-degree sexual assault.

Investigators said Roe and four other men were involved in a sex ring involving several minors. Three of the other suspects have been arrested, but one is still wanted.

In April, Roe was arrested on charges of two counts of rape and 10 counts of fourth-degree sexual assault, according to court records. His bond was originally set at $25,000 before it was changed to $200,000.

Mulberry residents said they were frustrated Roe continues to get released on bond and runs his business, Dickerson Wholesale Supply, just feet away from Marvin Elementary School.

"I don't understand why in Arkansas it's legal for him to work that close to a school," resident Elizabeth Jordan said. "I mean, it's against the law to live that close to a school if you're a sexual predator, but you can work that close? He can watch our children play on the playground."

Some of the protesters plan to hold a town hall meeting in August to bring more awareness to this situation.

"The best way to do that I think is a public forum," protester Eli Clardy said. "We're going to get a bunch of politicians together, we're going to get the Crisis Intervention Center together, potentially the Morgan Nick Foundation, and really everybody is going to have to move on to this together as a town unit."

Parents said they just want justice.

"We want them to stop it," Jordan said. "We want him locked up and we want our streets safe."

Roe was arrested in 2001 on child pornography charges. He registered as a level three sex offender, which meant he could not live within 2,000 feet of a child.

Authorities believe some of the incidents for which Roe has been arrested are believed to have happened at his business, but police said Roe is not breaking any laws by operating his business near a school as long as he does not have any interaction with a child, there is nothing illegal about him continuing to run his business.

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