DISCOVERY CAME ABOUT VIA PAIR OF BICYCLE THEFTS CASE; WAS ARRESTED PREVIOUSLY ON VIOLATION OF SEX ADDRESS REGISTRATION
MAY 15, 2026 – written by WADE QUEEN
REGISTERED SEX OFFENDER VIOLATOR DISCOVERED TO BE NOT REGISTERED -AGAIN: JESSE LEE WARD, 48, OF PAINTSVILLE, KENTUCKY.
A Johnson County, Kentucky man is facing a charge of being in violation of the provisions of Kentucky’s sex offender registry after what began as an investigation into the theft of bicycles resulted in the discovery of the suspect’s non-compliance.
The Paintsville Police Department were called on Sunday, May 10, to a home on Second Street over a report that two bicycles had been stolen the previous evening. The homeowner was able to provide footage allegedly showing the suspect walking into the back yard and taking two bicycles worth a combined $500.According to an arrest citation report written by Paintsville Police Department officer Nathan Collins, on Tuesday, May 12, he was investigating the theft case involving Jessie Lee Ward, 48, of 6th Street, of Paintsville, KY.
Officers located Jesse Ward at his workplace and cited him for misdemeanor theft. Jesse Ward was able to return one of the bicycles at that time. Jesse Ward also said to the officers another person had the other bike, but that he would retrieve it and take it back to the owners.
During the course of the investigation, the arrest citation report said that officer Collins was advised by Paintsville Police Department Chief Danny Smith to check Jesse Lee Ward’s status on the sex offender registry, because two young girls lived at the home where the theft occurred.
Jesse Lee Ward, according to Johnson County court documents, is a 20-year registrant related to a conviction on a charge of second-degree rape against a 12-year-old child, after he pleaded guilty to the second-degree rape of the 12-year-old victim in 2006. Jesse Ward received a 10-year sentence in that case.
Jesse Ward was found riding a bicycle on Sixth Street later on Tuesday and arrested him for failure to comply with sex offender registration requirements.
Officer Collins wrote that he learned that Jesse Lee Ward was non-compliant and made contact with Jesse Lee Ward. The arrest citation report said Jesse Lee Ward told officer Nathan Collins he knew recently that he had fallen out of compliance and that he had realized he was non-compliant, but he had sent in paperwork through the mail to correct and fix the issue.While investigating, officer Collins wrote, he was informed that Jesse Lee Ward no longer lives at the residence he has listed on the sex offender registry.
Officer Collins wrote that he also found that Jesse Ward had been arrested on a registry violation in 2020.Jesse Lee Ward was lodged in the Big Sandy Regional Detention Center on a charge of:
*FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH SEX OFFENDER REGISTRATION (SECOND OR > OFFENSE).
Because he has previously been arrested for the same charge, Jesse Lee Ward now faces five (5) to ten (10) years in state prison if he is convicted on the charge.
