Sex Offender Arrested For Moving, Not Telling Authorities

DESERT HOT SPRINGS -A man convicted of sex crimes 35 years ago was behind bars today for allegedly failing to inform police that he had moved to a new home in Desert Hot Springs, police said.

Percy William Singleton, 65, was convicted in November 1984 of committing lewd acts on a child under 14, oral copulation with a minor and unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor in Riverside County and sentenced to eight years in prison.

Because of the conviction, Singleton is required by law to register with law enforcement if he moves.

Police learned that Singleton had moved to a home on Hacienda Avenue about five months ago and had not notified police, and he was arrested Wednesday, said Sgt. Daniel Bressler of the Desert Hot Springs Police Department.

In May 1998 he pleaded guilty to failing to register as a sex offender and was sentenced to 36 months probation and 90 days in county jail.

In 1999, he again pleaded guilty to the same charge and was sentenced to 16 months in prison for violating his probation on the earlier notification charge.

He has previous arrests for writing bad checks and possession of drug paraphernalia, although that charge was later dismissed, as was an earlier charge of failing to register as a sex offender.

Singleton is being held in lieu of $55,000 bail and is tentatively set to be arraigned Friday.