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Suspected kidnapper facing more charges
The sex offender was living two blocks away from where he allegedly kidnapped the girl in Mesquite. The thing is no one in that community knew he was a sex offender because he appears to have been lying to law enforcement about his real address.
MESQUITE, Texas - The family of a sex offender charged with kidnapping a Mesquite 10-year-old girl says he doesn't even live at the Hunt County home where he's registered as a sex offender.
Now, the suspect faces additional charges.
Police say Doyle Tipton admitted to detectives that he forced the girl to perform lewd acts on him in his van. The sex offender was living two blocks away from where he allegedly kidnapped the girl.
The thing is no one in that community knew he was a sex offender because he appears to have been lying to law enforcement about his listed address.
Tipton is a registered sex offender since 2011 for sexually assaulting a 23-year-old man. Now, he’s charged in the kidnapping and sexual assault of a 10-year-old girl in Mesquite last week.
Tipton’s cousin, Theresa Green, says she had no idea he was using her family’s address in Hunt County to register as a sex offender while never living there.
"Of course, we don’t condone any kind of sexual predator, especially a child predator," she said. "My heart goes out to her, truly."
According to a newly obtained arrest affidavit, Tipton confessed to kidnapping and sexually assaulting the 10-year-old girl in his red minivan.
Police say Tipton found her walking down a Mesquite street after running away from home for being grounded. In the van, police say he forced her to perform a sex act.
According to the affidavit, Doyle stopped in a parking lot, and the girl punched him in the face to get away and get help at a fire station. The girl was forensically interviewed.
Surveillance video helped police connect Tipton’s van to the kidnapping.
The girl "immediately identified" Tipton from a photo lineup, the affidavit says.
Tipton is charged with aggravated kidnapping.
Mesquite police say more charges are likely for failing to register as a sex offender in Mesquite.
"There’s requirements to notify of change of address," said Mesquite Police Lt. Michael Kelly.
On Texas DPS’ sex offender registry, Tipton’s address is listed in Quinlan in Hunt County.
Tipton is listed as "low risk." He’s required to check-in annually and last checked in with the Hunt County Sheriff’s Office in November.
Registries allow community members to know where sex offenders live, but FOX 4 uncovered Tipton does not live in Quinlan. He lives 40 miles away with his wife at her apartment in Mesquite.
The Mesquite apartment is two blocks away from where he allegedly kidnapped the 10-year-old girl.
Neighbors previously told FOX 4 they had no idea Tipton is a sex offender.
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Sex offender found living near parks, schools
It appears Doyle Tipton was not living at the home he reported to state registry officials. Instead, he was living in an apartment complex near parks and schools and just blocks away from where he allegedly kidnapped a 10-year-old girl.
The Hunt County Sheriff’s Office says it has had a deputy assigned to Tipton’s case. A spokesperson says they do random checks at sex offender addresses, but it’s unclear if that was done with Tipton.
"We’re still trying to wrap our heads around it at the same time," Green said.
Meanwhile, Tipton’s cousin says her family members signed affidavits with the Hunt County Sheriff’s Office swearing Tipton did not live at their home like he claimed.
"We did find out that he has been using this address. We were not aware he was using this address, and we were kind of shocked when we found out," Green said. "Because we don’t want people to think that we’re associated with this kind of behavior or that we knew anything about this."
Local law enforcement agencies assist Texas DPS with sex offender check-ins.
FOX 4 reached out to Texas DPS, but it has not responded to a request for comment.