A registered sexual offender accused of violating the terms of his registry and lifetime community supervision had his case bound over to the Warren County Grand Jury Tuesday afternoon.
Kevin Lee Rutledge, 53, had a preliminary hearing before Judge Ryan J. Moore in General Sessions Court, facing two counts of violation of the Tennessee Sex Offender Registry, as well as two counts of violation of community supervision.
Rutledge, who was initially placed on the registry for two counts of rape of a child and two counts of aggravated sexual battery in 2007, as well as eight counts of aggravated sexual battery in 2008, faces new charges after an investigation from this April conducted by Warren County Sheriff’s Office investigator Lt. Justin Colwell. During that investigation, which began on April 22, Colwell determined Rutledge had allegedly failed to notify his parole officers of a secondary address on Hidden Valley Circle in the Centertown community. Rutledge stayed overnight at that address on April 19, 20, 21 and 29, according to Colwell’s report.
During Tuesday’s preliminary hearing, witnesses for both the prosecution and defense were called to testify, including Brian Wilkinson, who lives next door to the home which was allegedly Rutledge’s secondary address.
Wilkinson testified he had seen Rutledge at the home in question multiple times during April, working on and around the property and parked in the driveway overnight, and became concerned when he learned of Rutledge’s criminal history.
“I’ve seen him stay as long as a weekend,” Wilkinson said. “I believe I’ve seen him come in on a Friday night, and stay all weekend until Sunday before leaving out. Last year he was there quite a lot of the time, then all of a sudden you didn’t see him except for here and there. Then in April, that was the last time I saw him there.
“I met him last year, he came up and shook my hand and introduced himself. He never said anything about being a registered sex offender. Somebody brought it to my attention, and I looked into it. I have two small kids; we couldn’t let them go outside and play because I felt uncomfortable.”
Wilkinson also testified he had a security system at his home, and also took photos with his phone of Rutledge on the property. He stated he turned that footage and photos over to the Sheriff’s Office. Several of the photos and screenshots from video footage were introduced as evidence during Colwell’s testimony later in the hearing.
Joy Harris of the Probation and Parole Office also testified, stating Rutledge was being sanctioned by her office for failing to notify the state of his arrest within the required time period after leaving the jail earlier this year.
“I was aware he was arrested, and I was also aware of when he was released,” she said. “At no point did he report that he had been arrested or released. I next had contact with him at his regularly scheduled appointment, at which point I reminded him that he was obligated to report both the arrest and release.
Harris, who has supervised Rutledge since July of 2023, said his failure to report the arrest led to additional charges being filed.
“Under community supervision for life, any arrest is a violation,” she explained. “So by nature of being arrested for violation of the sex offender registry, he also accrued a charge of violation of community supervision for life.”
Defense attorney Ramon Damas, who represents Rutledge, called the owner of the home in question, Teri Morton, who testified Rutledge had done several odd jobs around her home in exchange for meals and bookkeeping services, and had never spent the night.
Those on the sex offender registry are required to notify the state of certain changes such as change of vehicle and change of address. If indicted by the grand jury, Rutledge’s case will move on to circuit court.
