BAXTER COUNTY — A registered level 3 sex offender, 54-year-old Stephen Rey Groat of Mountain Home, was arrested Monday for failing to comply with sex offender registration and reporting requirements.
Deputy Tanner Anderson learned that Groat had begun working at a local business last month but had not informed the Baxter County Sheriff’s Office of his employment status, as mandated by law. Groat’s last registration update, on January 28, 2025, indicated he was unemployed.
After confirming Groat’s employment with the business owner, authorities discovered Groat had failed to disclose his status as a level 3 sex offender to his employer. Additionally, investigators found that Groat maintained social media accounts on Snapchat and Instagram linked to his email address—accounts he had never reported to the Sheriff’s Office.
Groat was arrested and booked into the Baxter County Detention Center on a felony charge of Failure to Comply with Sex Offender Registration and Reporting. He is being held on a $15,000 bond and is scheduled for a Circuit Court appearance on July 21.
