Uniontown man wanted for violating Megan’s Law
Uniontown police Detective Donald M. Gmitter was one of many police officers to participate recently in an identification and warrant service for sex offenders in violation of state law.
And he said his participation in the operation led him to identify a wanted sex offender in Uniontown.
Gmitter said he joined state police and other local law enforcement in the collaborative effort by federal, state and local law enforcement, which resulted in the capture of nearly three dozen wanted sex offenders in western Pennsylvania.
The sweep was conducted in May and June. More than 100 sex offenders were tracked down and taken into custody statewide, officials said.
In most cases, the sex offenders were wanted for failing to comply with annual registration and other requirements for sex offenders under Megan’s Law.
Gmitter said officers worked to identify violators in their designated area and then obtained warrants for their arrest.
As a result of his investigation, Gmitter said he identified Timothy Allen Smith, 41, of Uniontown as a non-complaint sex offender after he failed to comply with Megan’s Law and register as a sex offender for nearly a decade.
“He spent several years in prison for charges of attempted rape and involuntary deviate sexual intercourse in 1997 and then, following his release, registered as a sexual offender in 2001 and 2002. After that, he never registered again, which is illegal,” Gmitter said.
He said Smith completed his last required registration July 15, 2002, with state police.
Through further investigation, Gmitter said he was able to find a record of Smith living at a house on Lenox Street in 2008 but noted that officers were unable to locate Smith during a check at that residence.
He noted that Smith never registered the Lenox Street address with police.
Gmitter said he obtained a warrant for Smith’s arrest from Magisterial District Judge Michael M. Metros.
Smith is described as a white man with brown hair and brown eyes. He is 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighs about 130 pounds.
Anyone with information regarding his whereabouts is asked to call police at 724-430-2929.
Last week, U.S. marshals and other law enforcement agencies announced the roundup during a press conference in Pittsburgh to tout the success of Operation Grand Slam, a combined effort by law enforcement to serve warrants on Megan’s Law violators.
Megan’s Law is the informal name given to the nationwide requirement of police to provide information to the public regarding registered sex offenders and also encompasses the requirements upon offenders to register with their local police and follow federal, state and local regulations for convicted sex offenders.