Wildwood, Fla. – A convicted sex offender has been arrested after allegedly failing to update authorities about his new job and online identity, according to the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office.
Julius Samuels, 34, was booked Monday into the Sumter County Detention Center on three counts of sex offender registration violations.
Authorities were tipped off on July 16 that Samuels was no longer residing at his registered address. A deputy’s investigation revealed that he had moved in with a new girlfriend in Leesburg and had also started a job with Edwards Concrete, a company specializing in decorative concrete work in The Villages.
Although Samuels had shared news of his employment via Snapchat, he failed to report the change to law enforcement, which is required under Florida law for registered sex offenders. A human resources representative at Edwards Concrete confirmed that Samuels began working there on July 21.
Further investigation found that Samuels was using an internet alias, “PoundTown JuJu,” which had also not been reported to authorities, another violation of registration requirements.
Samuels was previously convicted in 2009 for lewd and lascivious battery on a victim aged 12 to 15 in Sumter County. He served two years and six months in prison.
His recent arrest underscores the importance of compliance with sex offender registration laws, which require offenders to promptly report changes in address, employment, and online identities.
