SKOWHEGAN — A California sex offender who allegedly jumped parole was arrested Monday after a foot chase with police through downtown Skowhegan.
Police say Jaime Michael Harrington, 29, was convicted in California of sex offenses against a girl under 16. He was sent to prison and later released on parole.
Harrington allegedly cut off his electronic foot bracelet and fled the state. He is listed on the California Sex Offender Registry as being in violation of registration requirements since Aug. 8, 2010.
He is being held without bail at the Somerset County Jail, pending extradition back to California, said Skowhegan police Officer Ronnie Blodgett. Blodgett said local authorities received a tip Monday from a Kennebec County civil deputy that Harrington was living in an apartment on Madison Avenue.
“We did some background work on it and found out that he had warrants out of California for probation violations and they would extradite nationwide,” Blodgett said. “He was still on parole out there. There are new charges that California is going to file for him jumping state without permission and for being out of state for 30 days without returning, and then there’ll probably be something else for cutting off the anklet bracelet, I’m sure.”
Harrington moved to Skowhegan in January, Blodgett said.
“We sent a couple of under-covers to the door to try to make contact without drawing attention — that didn’t work, so when (the other officers) left I continued to watch the residence,” Blodgett said.
When Harrington and a female companion arrived at the house a short time later, Blodgett said, he, along with Detective Kelly Hooper and Officer Timothy Williams went to the door with the warrants.
Harrington fled through a back door, he said.
Harrington ran across the street to Cumberland Farms, then up High Street and onto Court Street and later Lawton Street, with Blodgett running after him.
“At that point Officer Williams and I both followed footprints — we weren’t too far behind — chasing him through backyards and luckily for us Detective Hooper was in behind Charrier’s restaurant, in their old parking lot, and we ran him right out into her.
“He gave up without a fight.”
Harrington is being held on a fugitive from justice warrant, until California authorities come to Maine to pick him up, he said, possibly by the end of this week.
Details of when and where Harrington’s sex offenses occurred in California were not available Tuesday.
Contacted by cell phone Tuesday, Special Agent Tony Torres with the California Department of Corrections Fugitive Task Force, said Skowhegan police did a good job tracking down a man they have been looking for. He said the state of California may seek federal charges against Harrington for interstate flight.
Blodgett said Harrington told him he has at least six years left to serve in California.
Doug Harlow — 474-9534
dharlow@centralmaine.com
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