Published: October 06, 2009 08:01 pm      

Alleged sex offender nabbed after four years

A Tennessee man who law enforcement officials say has been on the run almost four years for an alleged sex offense against a family member in Dalton was arrested on Monday.

Gregory Keith Hunter, 40, of 570 Dry Creek Road in Tellico Plains, was charged by the Whitfield County Sheriff’s Office with child molestation and aggravated child molestation.

In November of 2005 Dalton Police responded to a call from Hunter that a “juvenile” family member was missing, according to an incident report at the time. Officers said it “did not sound like a kidnapping situation,” since Hunter told them he had argued with the family member before the family member left in a vehicle.

When officers found the family member at a service station after a call was made to police, they determined a sexual assault had taken place. The family member told them the family member had been staying with Hunter, “who (the family member) had not seen for years,” because another family member was in the hospital. The family member said Hunter bought liquor and began drinking when they got back to where he was staying, and the juvenile went to sleep.

“Later (the family member) awoke with (Hunter) laying next to (the family member) ...,” the report says.

Officers called the Department of Family and Children Services and sought a warrant for Hunter’s arrest but by the time they got it he had left, said Dalton Police spokesman Bruce Frazier.

Hunter was denied bond by Magistrate Judge Sidney Baxter Tuesday afternoon. He will face a Superior Court bond hearing, possibly this week, a jail spokeswoman said.