FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 4, 2026

JEFFERSON COUNTY, Fla. – Inspectors, agents and analysts of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s (FDLE) Missing Persons and Offender Enforcement Division and the Tallahassee Regional Operations Center, in partnership with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Monticello Police Department and the Wakulla County Sheriff’s Office arrested five sexual offenders and sexual predators for violations of Florida law.

The operation’s mission was to make contact with registrants residing within Jefferson County to confirm compliance with Florida’s registration laws.

The operation demanded investigative activity and resulted in 71 successful address verifications, five arrests for registration violations and confirmation of one absconded career offender. Additionally, 12 registrants were found to have registration discrepancies were brought back into compliance with Florida statute.

Arrests:

Patrick Hawkins, 47, sexual predator

Samuel Smith, 41, sexual predator

Sylvester Hamm, 62, sexual offender

Jack Johnson, 55, sexual offender

Robert Jones, 62, sexual offender

The five suspects face various charges including failure to maintain a Florida driver license or identification card, and failure to properly report changes in phone numbers, vehicles, employment and internet identifiers. Jones was also charged with one count of possession of marijuana.

Investigators determined career offender James Foy Walker, 65, absconded from his registered address in Monticello.

All suspects were booked into the Jefferson County Jail.

The cases are being prosecuted by the State Attorney’s Office for the Second Judicial Circuit. 

FDLE’s Missing Persons and Offender Enforcement Division, including analysts from the Offender Registry Services Bureau, partners with sheriff’s offices, police departments and federal law enforcement across Florida to verify compliance with Florida’s registration laws requiring sex offenders and predators to report to their local sheriff’s office and provide information including residential addresses, telephone numbers, vehicle information, internet identifiers, photograph, passport and conviction information.

Citizens can access Florida’s Sex Offender Registry by downloading the FDLE Mobile App and search the online Florida’s Sex Offender Registry at Sexual Offenders and Predators Search.

If you have any information regarding the whereabouts of the absconded subject, please contact FDLE at 1-888-357-7332.

For Further Information Contact:

FDLE Office of Public Information

Info@fdle.state.fl.us