Sex Offender Escapes From Halfway House...Again

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Recent photos show that Petersimes has gained weight.

Cops say it's not a matter of if Mark Petersimes will assault another young girl-- it's when.

Even after Petersimes served 12 years for molesting two young girls, authorities weren't ready to put him out in the public again. Instead of being released, he was placed in an Austin halfway house so that he could be observed. He also had to wear an electronic monitoring device.

A Second Attempt

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In the past, he has let his hair grow out.

But cops say that didn't stop him. In 2003, Petersimes escaped from the halfway house and fortunately was caught before he could hurt anyone else.  After he served more jail time for escaping, Petersimes was placed in the Wayback Halfway House, in downtown Dallas.

Cops say on May 2, 2006, Petersimes cut off his electronic monitoring device and slipped out of the building. It is not certain where he may have gone, although he does have connections within the Dallas and Houston communities.

No Stranger To Life Behind Bars

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Petersimes sometimes has a clean-shaven face.

When cops finally do track down Mark Petersimes, they say he'll spend the rest of his life behind bars.

Originally from Illinois, cops say Petersimes joined the Army in 1977. He was dishonorably discharged, after going AWOL, according to officials. In 1981, Petersimes was convicted of attempted rape in North Carolina and served two years.

Wanted Sex Offender Back Behind Bars

A sex offender who fled from a halfway house in Dallas was captured in Colorado on July 7, 2007, just hours before his case was to be profiled on America's Most Wanted. Police say Mark Petersimes was arrested in Lakewood, Colorado after a brave young girl came forward and told an adult that a man was making lewd gestures at her. Police say the 11-year-old told a clerk at the Lakewood Dollar Store and the clerk, in turn, called police. Now, the wanted child sexual predator is back behind bars.