Convicted sex offender arrested

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September 2, 2010

By Brian Livingston / blivingston@themeridianstar.com The Meridian Star The Meridian Star Thu Sep 02, 2010, 06:00 AM CDT

MERIDIAN —     Nothing freezes the blood of a mother more than hearing the cries for help from one of her children.

    Monday night, a mother and her 14-year old son allegedly found themselves in a battle against a man who earlier this year pleaded guilty to a sexual crime. Fortunately, the two were able to fight off the man, identified now by authorities of the Lauderdale County Sheriff's Department as Christopher Todd Shelton. Shelton, 41, of Toomsuba, is now being held in the Lauderdale County Adult Detention Facility on charges of attempted kidnapping, failure to register as a sex offender non-compliance, and probation violation.

    Ward Calhoun, chief deputy for the LCSD, said Wednesday afternoon Shelton was taken into custody without incident early Tuesday morning at Shelton's home located at 236 Smith Spur Road. Calhoun said the investigation is ongoing in this case and the Mississippi Department of Corrections has requested a hold on Shelton pending the outcome of the investigation.

    "Reports state that after the mother and son were able to fight off Shelton, patrol units of the Meridian Police Department were called in," said Calhoun. "Knowing that Shelton was a county resident and a convicted sex offender, they asked us to try and locate and take him into custody."

    At about 3:25 a.m. Tuesday, deputies were able to secure Shelton and transport him to the detention facility.

    Calhoun said the mother and son knew of Shelton's past.

    "They were familiar with him, his past, and recognized him inside Wal-Mart," said Calhoun.

    Calhoun said the mother was loading groceries into her car while her son pushed the shopping cart to the cart collection area. Calhoun said reports state that when the teen was away from his mother, Shelton allegedly pulled up in his truck next to the youth and attempted to pull him into the cab. The yells from the child alerted the mother who rushed to the truck and beat back the reported attack. Shelton is said to have fled the scene in the truck.

    According to Lauderdale County Circuit Court documents, Shelton was arrested in September 2009 for computer luring of a child under the age of 18. In March 2010, a grand jury indicted Shelton for the felony offense, which carries a sentence of up to three years in prison. Records show Shelton pleaded guilty for the charge on June 18. His three-year sentence in prison was suspended, however, and Shelton was placed on five years probation, according to court documents.

    Shelton was a self-proclaimed clergyman and Catholic at the time of his arrest in September 2009. He claimed to LCSD authorities to have officiated several local funerals. Local Catholic priest, The Rev. Frank Cosgrove, said Shelton is not Catholic and is not affiliated with either of the local Catholic churches.

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