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Five sex offenders were discovered to be in violation of the Sex Offender Regulation and Notification Act (SORNA) during routine compliance checks by the Chilton County Sheriff’s Office the last week of May.

James Edward Benjamin, Paul Hamilton Tucker and Daniel Everett Whitehead were taken into Chilton County custody between May 22 and May 24, according to CCSO.

Benjamin was pulled over on May 22 for a traffic violation. Further investigation revealed SORNA violation and possession of a controlled substance located inside the vehicle.

Benjamin was arrested for SORNA violation, possession of a controlled substance, open container of alcohol and drug paraphernalia and illegal possession of prescription pills, according to a CCSO press release.

Benjamin is registered as a resident of Verbena.

Tucker, 48, was arrested on May 23 for a bond revocation from two separate SORNA violations within Chilton County.

Whitehead, 64, was arrested on May 24 for probation violation from Shelby County on sodomy in the first degree. Tucker was transferred to the Shelby County Jail.

Whitehead is registered as a resident of Montevallo.

Investigator Derrick Bone, who conducted the nightly checks and noted the violations, issued arrest warrants for Jeffery Windell Defee and Dustin Christopher Smith.

Defee is registered for rape in the second degree, and Smith is registered for sexual abuse of a child younger than 12 years of age.

Both are wanted for two SORNA violations for moving residences without notifying Bone.

Defee and Smith have not been located. Their last-known address was on 40 County Road 374 in Clanton, according to the press release.

CCSO urges anyone with further information regarding their whereabouts to contact the Sheriff’s Office at (205) 755-4698 or the anonymous Crime Tips Hotline at (205) 755-7898.

“I would like to thank investigator Bone for his tireless efforts in coordinating these checks,” Sheriff John Shearon of CCSO said. “We continue to fight all types of crimes throughout Chilton County, and investigator Bone does a fantastic job managing the 160 sex offenders we have here.”

A public list of registered Chilton County sex offenders can be found at chiltoncountyso.org.

“If Dustin or Jeffery are reading this, you have been warned,” Shearon said. “We are not only searching for the two of you here, we have friends everywhere that have your pictures and know exactly what you look like. Turn yourselves in, or we will find you.”

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