Deputies find wanted sex offender after months of searching

    GRAVES COUNTY, Kentucky (WSIL) -- The Graves County Sheriff's Office says convicted sex offender, 43-year-old John West, has been on the run for several months for charges in both Kentucky and Tennessee.

West had arrest warrants issued in 2024 for bail jumping and violating his sex offender registration requirements in Graves County and violating parole in Tennessee.

For months, the sheriff's office says several agencies have continuously checked for West at a home that belonged to his mother, 78-year-old Carlien West, near Pryorsburg on US Hwy 45 South.

Deputies say West's mother would tell them that he was not in the home and she did not know where he was.

Authorities then began receiving claims that West was in the home and that his mother was assisting him in hiding.

In a joint effort, Deputy U.S. Marshal, deputies from the Graves and McCracken County Sheriff's Office searched the house around 10 a.m. on April 14.

Once again, authorities say West's mother denied that he was in the home.

While searching, the sheriff's office says they found two trap doors. One trap door was found in a closet that led underneath the house and another was disguised as a mirror, leading to an interior wall. That is where they located West.

West was arrested and is facing charges in Graves County, and Tennessee. Authorities say federal charges are also pending.

His mother, Carlien West, was not arrested. The sheriff's office says she was cited for harboring a non-compliant sex offender and has a pending court date. Carlien told authorities she helped him because she did not want him to go to jail.

The sheriff's office says there is an additional suspect believed to have helped in hiding West. The investigation is ongoing.