Portland, Ind. (7-6-23) — Carl E. “Gene” Conner III (40), a convicted sex offender from Jay County is accused of failing to register with local authorities. When deputies investigating his whereabouts reportedly found (less than a gram of) meth in his possession.

Conner is required to register as a sex offender in the communities where he lives and works due to a 2003 conviction for child molesting in Johnson County. he had been staying at a home in Portland.

When Conner was located in early June he was staying Bryant, about seven miles north of Portland in Jay County’s Bearcreek Township. Also found were syringes, another bag containing a smaller amount of meth, and “meth pipes” in the Bryant house.

Conner wasrecently charged in Jay Circuit Court with failure to register as a sex offender, possession of meth, unlawful possession of a syringe and possession of paraphernalia.

The failing-to-register charge is a Level 5 felony carrying up to six years in prison. Two of the drug-related charges are Level 6 felonies with maximum 30-month sentences.

He is also being considered on a habitual offender charg that could add to the length of any sentence he receives if convicted of the pending charges.

Conner’s girlfriend Kimberly A. Sowder (42) has been charged in Jay Circuit Court with possession of meth, unlawful possession of a syringe and possession of paraphernalia. Those charges come when Conner was located at the Bryant address.