Deputy U.S. Marshals have confirmed to AMW that 37-year-old Preston Hightower is in custody. Hightower was arrested on Aug. 14, 2008 in Sioux Falls as he showed up for work at a construction site. US Marshals had been looking for Hightower since July 25, 2008, when they say was convicted of aggravated assault against a child, but escaped from court before his sentencing hearing.
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On July 25, 2008, 37-year-old Preston Hightower had just been found guilty by a Grayson County, Texas judge of sexually assaulting three young victims.
But before the judge could read Hightower his sentence, Deputy U.S. Marshals say the sexual predator took off.
When arrested, Hightower will have to face three 20-year prison terms for the aggravated assaults, and possibly some more time for jumping bail and failure to appear.
Marshals say Hightower initially got help from family members and friends, but believe that he now may be on his own, camping out somewhere in South Dakota or Minnesota.
Hightower has several tattoos on his body. He likes to smoke and may be looking for construction jobs.
Convicted sex offender Preston Hightower had just showed up for work at a construction site when U.S. Marshals in South Dakota found him and arrested him on Aug. 14, 2008.
Authorities in Texas had been working on a lead and were able to track Hightower to an address where he was working as a roofer.
Hightower has been booked in South Dakota but will be extradited to Grayson County, Texas, the place police say he never should've left.
He has been sentenced to serve three 20-year terms in prison for the aggravated sexual assault charges, but may face additional time for failing to appear to his sentencing hearing.