Fleet-Footed Sex Offender Arrested Hiding in Sofa

DANSVILLE – A local sexually violent offender was arrested hiding inside a fold-out sofa after a foot-chase by an investigator with the Livingston County Sheriff’s Office and members of Dansville Police Department and State Police.

According to a press release from Sheriff Thomas Dougherty, Robert McLoud, 25, Sheriff’s Investigator Dan Rittenhouse was in the Village of Dansville to locate and arrest McLoud for Failure to Register or Verify as a Sex Offender, located McCloud and after a brief scuffle, Mcloud ran away on foot in attempt to avoid being taken into custody.

Investigator Rittenhouse gave chase and radioed to the 911 Center to advise of the situation. The area was saturated with member of the Sheriff’s Office, as well as Dansville Police and State Police. Law enforcement worked together to locate McLoud in an apartment on West Avenue, inside of a fold-out sofa. He was taken into custody without further incident.

McLoud was arrested on a Felony Violation of Probation Warrant as well as charges of Failure to Register and Verify, a class D Felony, and Resisting Arrest.

According to the NYS Department of Corrections, McLoud spent more than 8 years starting in at Groveland Correctional Facility for two counts of Attempted Rape in the First Degree and two counts of Attempted Criminal Sexual Act in the First Degree, both C felonies.

According to the NYS Department of Criminal Justice Services, McLoud used threats or coercion to rape an 11 year old male and a 7 year old female, to whom he was a non-stranger.

The reason for the initial investigation and attempt to arrest McLoud was the allegation that McLoud was arrested for Failure to Register and Verify back in October 2014 by Investigator Rittenhouse, and after his release from the Livingston County Jail, he was residing on Plank Road in the Town of Lima, then moved from the Plank Road address on May 19 2015 without notifying local law enforcement within the 10-day limit.

McCloud was arrested and arraigned in West Sparta Town Court and remanded to the Livingston County Jail without bail.

Dansville Police did also make an arrest in the case of a subject for attempting to hide McLoud in the apartment on West Avenue.

PHOTO CAPTION: (Photo/Livingston County Sheriff’s Office)

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