Two sex offenders, who were friends but aren't now, have been living together in an Aberdeen motel and are charged with failing to register as offenders..
Benjamin Joseph Smith, 31, and Nathan Ross Teague, 24, both of the 1400 block of South Philadelphia Boulevard, appeared before District Court Judge Victor Butanis during bail review hearings Wednesday afternoon. Both men face charges of failing to register as sex offenders and Butanis ordered both to be held with no bond.
Smith and Teague both reported living at the Philadelphia Boulevard address, which is Holly Hill Motel, together, but Teague indicated during his review that he and Smith were no longer friends and Teague plans to move in with his mother and pregnant girlfriend.
Both men reported working at HD Logistics.
In 2008, Smith entered an Alford plea, in which he didn't admit guilt but there was enough evidence to convict him, in a case in which he was charged with a third-degree sex offense. His jail time was suspended except for time already served.
Smith has jumped from residence to residence in the past year, he said. His agent reportedly had visited him at the Holly Hill Motel hours before the police picked Smith up, Public Defender Marcus Jenkins said. Jenkins requested that Butanis set a "reasonable bail."
Assistant State's Attorney Kemba Lydia requested Smith's bail to stay as set.
In Teague's case, he said he had been living at the hotel but had no car or phone to alert the state of his new location. He and Smith had been friends, Teague said, but weren't any longer and he planned to move in with his girlfriend, who was at hearing, and mother.
Teague, who was convicted of a third-degree sex offense in November 2009, said he called and left a message with his probation officer and had also attended three classes in the sexual offender program but stopped because he could not afford it.
He also has a 2-year-old child, according to Public Defender Omar Simpson, who also requested a reasonable bail.
Lydia, however, reported that Teague's agent said he repeatedly lied about where he lived, at one point allegedly tested positive for drugs and had only attended one treatment.
Butanis decided to hold Teague without bond as well.