Sex Offender Arrested In Mount Vernon Accused of Stalking

Mount Vernon, Washington– The Mount Vernon Police Department has arrested a Level III Sex Offender for Stalking.

According to a press release from Lieutenant Greg Booth with the Mount Vernon Police Department, on September 14th, 2016, a 43-year old Mount Vernon Man and his minor son were riding their bikes in the area of East Section Street and South Laventure Road in Mount Vernon.

While Riding their bikes, they noticed a suspicious vehicle that appeared to be following them, and the driver appeared to be taking cell phone pictures or video of the father and son.   The father was able to obtain a license plate number of the vehicle (WA LIC# ANN1745) and provided the information to the Mount Vernon Police Department.  The plates returned to a Black 2012 Huundai Veloster, registered to a Jesse Miller.   Investigators determined that Mr. Miller is a LEVEL III Registered Sex Offender out of Snohomish County.

Eight Days later on September 22, 2016, detectives learned the same minor child from the initial incident observed the same vehicle following a group of Immaculate Conception School Cross Country Runners near Hillcrest Park on the afternoon of September 21st.

Further investigation by Detectives revealed a similar incident occurred on September 20th, 2016. Cross Country Runners from the Mount Vernon High School Had Observed a similar style of vehicle following them on the afternoon of September 20th.  During both of the additional reported incidents the driver of the vehicle was reported to have been taking cell phone photos of videos of the students.

In Response to the incidents, the Mount Vernon Police Department distributed a flyer with the vehicle information and description to the suspicious behavior to the Mount Vernon School District and Immaculate Conception School. The flyers were distributed to Staff, Parents and Students. Additionally, Officers were placed in several school zones and along known cross country running routes in Mount Vernon after school this afternoon.

At 3:14 pm today, Officers located the suspect’s vehicle driving near the Mount Vernon High School. The vehicle was stopped and the registered owner, JESSE MILLER, was arrested for investigation of Stalking. Mr. Miller was booked into the Skagit County Jail.

Based on the nature of the offense, the Mount Vernon Police Department is asking for anyone who may have had contact with this vehicle, or  experienced  similar circumstances  to the ones listed above, please contact Mount Vernon Detective Dave Shackleton at (360) 336-6271, Extension 1432.