A 41-year-old registered sex offender from West Blocton, Alabama, is now awaiting extradition after Starkville, Mississippi police arrested him this past weekend following an encounter that began when officers approached him. Stephen Shirley was taken into custody in Starkville on charges of disorderly conduct and public drunkenness, but the encounter quickly escalated once officers discovered he was wanted on a felony sodomy warrant out of Jefferson County, Alabama.
According to WBRC 6 News, Starkville police say Shirley refused to identify himself when officers first approached him. That refusal reportedly unraveled when a records check revealed his status as a registered sex offender and surfaced an outstanding warrant for second-degree sodomy in Jefferson County. As reported by Patch, the initial encounter took place on Saturday, October 3, with Shirley ultimately processed at the Oktibbeha County Jail following the stop.
A Years-Long Case Finally Catches Up
Shirley's connection to Alabama law enforcement did not begin this week. In August 2018, the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office arrested him on charges of first-degree sodomy, first-degree sexual abuse, enticing a child for immoral purposes, and terroristic threats involving a teenage victim, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force in locating him. He was booked into the Jefferson County Jail at the time on a $120,750 bond after allegedly going into hiding and calling a relative of the victim to make threats once he learned warrants had been issued against him.
West Blocton is listed as Shirley's hometown, and his warrant originated in Jefferson County.
What Alabama Law Says About the Charge
Under Alabama Code § 13A-6-64, second-degree sodomy is classified as a Class B felony, applying when the accused is 16 or older and the victim is between 12 and 15, with the statute requiring the accused be at least two years older than the victim. A Class B felony conviction in Alabama carries a mandatory prison sentence ranging from two to 20 years, along with potential fines of up to $30,000, among the more serious felony classifications under state law.
It remains an open question whether Shirley's travel to Mississippi will trigger additional charges. Under the Alabama Sex Offender Registration and Community Notification Act, registered adult sex offenders are required to notify local law enforcement before traveling out of state or vacating a residence for three or more consecutive days, and must also verify their registration details quarterly.
Extradition Process Still Ahead
Shirley is now awaiting extradition back to Alabama to face the Jefferson County warrant.
Starkville police can be reached at 662-323-4131, and Golden Triangle Crime Stoppers at 800-530-7151.
