ADRIAN -- A Washington man who has lived in Adrian since February 2007 has been charged with failing to register as a sex offender.
Brady Wells Hester, 37, was residing in an apartment on Pearl Street when authorities learned he was a convicted sex offender and had not registered. He had previously been registered in Washington, Texas and Oklahoma.
Investigation revealed he had been convicted of communication with a minor for immoral purposes in Grant County, Wash., on May 16, 2007. The case involved a series of letters -- and at least one sexually explicit drawing -- Hester had written to a 14-year-old girl who had been living in the same house as he at the time of the incident.
As a result of the conviction, Hester is required to register as a sex offender in Washington until 2099. Under Minnesota law, he is required to register as a predatory offender, but had not.
An officer from the Adrian Police Department made contact with Hester and placed him under arrest Monday. During the arrest, Hester was searched, and the officer found a bottle of pills that had not been prescribed. He initially claimed the drugs were not his but belonged to his fiancée. He later admitted knowing the drugs were illegal and said he did not have a prescription for either one of the two found in his possession.
ADVERTISEMENT
Hester was charged with failure to register as a predatory offender and two counts of fifth-degree controlled substance crimes. He faces up to 15 years incarceration and/or a $30,000 fine.
Hester made a court appearance Wednesday, and bond was set at $5,000. Conditions of release include complying with Minnesota's predatory offender laws.
His next court appearance is set for 9 a.m. May 6 at the Prairie Justice Center.
