Tyrone Police acted on anonymous tips to apprehend a convicted sex offender in the parking lot of the Tyrone-Snyder Public Library around noon yesterday.
Authorities took 36-year-old Jack Edward Renniger into custody after he was questioned about suspicious activities in and around the library.
This morning, Police Chief Joseph Beachem told The Daily Herald the man gave multiple answers to questions about were he lived. Beachem said they where alerted about the man by two callers who said Renniger had been sleeping in his car in the library parking lot for a period of several days. Renniger had also entered the library on several occasions and had used the Internet on more than one occasion.
Beachem said Renniger’s car was registered to an address in Newton-Hamilton, Mifflin County. However, during questioning Renniger said he was from Mt. Union. At another point, Renniger indicated he was homeless and had been sleeping in his vehicle which he claimed wasn’t working. Beachem said police were able to start the vehicle. It was eventually towed to the municipal parking lot across the street from the Tyrone Police Department.
During the course of their investigation, police discovered Renniger had a parole violation and had failed to register a change of address with the Megan’s Law unit.
Beachem worked with Lewistown State Police Corporal Philip Rickert on the case. Rickert said their investigation indicated Renniger had failed to comply within the allotted time he had to notify the Megan’s Law unit of a change of address when he moved from the Newton-Hamiton area to Mt. Union sometime last year. Police are still trying to determine when Renniger moved. Rickert said regardless of the exact date, their evidence showed Renniger had failed to comply within the allotted time to notify the Megan’s Law unit of the change.
Chief Beachem said Renniger could have been charged with failure to register in this area but they were unable to determine if he had been here for at least 10 days. Beachem explained convicted sex offenders are allowed the 10-day period to register when they arrive in a new jurisdiction.
Beachem said Renniger was transported to Blair County Prison to be held on the parole violation and failure to register the change of address. He said the investigation into Renniger’s activities in Tyrone is continuing and additional charges could be filed. Beachem explained Renniger was not arraigned on any new charges before a magisterial judge because the parole violation and failure to notify about the change of address were enough to hold him in custody.
He said Renniger will now face dealing with the parole board and could face extradition out of the area at some point.
Beachem indicated there was a concern for children in the area with Renniger spending time in a public place such as the library which is frequented by young people. He also said there was a concern about Renniger’s Internet activities due to the anonymous nature of it and the further anonymity provided by using a public computer.
