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PROVO — A registered sex offender with a history of groping women at random has been arrested and accused of not complying with the terms of the Utah Sex Offender and Kidnap Registry.
Anietie Wilson Umoren, 42, was arrested Wednesday and charged Thursday in 4th District Court with failing to register as a sex offender, a third-degree felony.
On Tuesday, Provo police received a report that Umoren was sending emails to a local food pantry and outreach center and that he "was angry because they would not give him a hotel voucher," according to charging documents.
The emails "appeared to contain delusional ideas and concerning ideations," as well as "vague threats of violence expressed toward a female the author claimed to be watching," Provo police said in a statement.
Police have had several recent incidents with Umoren since November in which he was found trespassing at businesses and apartments, the charges state.
Because Umoren is a registered sex offender and required to keep authorities updated with his current home address, which is listed as a homeless shelter in Salt Lake City, prosecutors filed a criminal charge on Thursday due to the amount of time he was spending in Utah County, the charges state.
Umoren is no stranger to police. In 2017, he went "on a crime spree sexually assaulting women" in Orem, according to charging documents. He inappropriately touched women in an apartment complex and a movie theater. He pleaded guilty and mentally ill in 2018 to sexual battery and attempted forcible sexual abuse and was sentenced to up to five years in the Utah State Prison.
He was arrested again in 2022 for similar behavior at the University of Utah.
Because of his prior incidents, Provo police on Thursday also issued a cautionary reminder to residents, particularly college students, "to be aware of this person, should he be released in the coming weeks. This also serves as a reminder for all to be aware of our surroundings and take appropriate precautions with regards to personal safety. Please report any suspicious activity to police."
