North Carolina, a registered sex offender was taken back into custody on fresh charges the very day he was released from prison. The Rowan County Sheriff's Office reported that 37-year-old Justin Dale Edwards, previously convicted of sexual offenses against minors, now faces new allegations related to the abuse of an 11-year-old child.
The incident in question dates back to a report the authorities received in January of 2024, initiating a collaborative investigation between local deputies, the Rowan County Department of Social Services, and the Terrie Hess House Child Advocacy Center. This probe resulted in the issuing of warrants for Edwards's arrest in April of the same year on two counts of indecent liberties with a child, and one count of statutory sex offense with a child by an adult. The arrest, however, was postponed until his release, according to a post by the Rowan County Sheriff's Office.
Upon his release from the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction last Saturday, Edwards was immediately booked into the Rowan County Jail on the aforementioned charges. He was given a $350,000 secured bond, with a scheduled appearance in Rowan County District Court last Monday.
Edwards's history of sexual offenses includes prior convictions for abusing a 13-year-old and 15-year-old, between 2010 and 2011 in Davidson County – offenses that obliged him to register as a sex offender. The Rowan County Sheriff's Office, maintaining awareness of public safety, encourages individuals with knowledge about a crime, or with information on wanted persons, to come forward while offering assurance of confidentiality. Tips can be submitted to the Rowan County Crime Stoppers via their website or by calling their hotline.
