A registered sex offender was arrested in Alachua County on Monday for posting social media comments threatening law enforcement.
According to an Alachua County Sheriff’s Office (ACSO) release, detectives arrested William Privett, 43, of Gainesville and charged him with three counts of Failure to Report Internet/ID Web Pages, Failure to Report Changes in Employment Information, Providing False Information at Registration and Resisting an Officer Without Violence.
The arrest followed information received by the ACSO on Dec. 17 regarding social media comments that were threatening to law enforcement. ACSO crime analysts reviewed the posts and identified Privett, who is a registered sexual offender in Alachua County.
Privetthas been required to register as a sexual offender in Florida since 2012. The law requires that registrants update their sexual offender registration information twice annually and report any changes, including employment and internet identifiers, within 48 hours. Failure to comply with the requirements is a third-degree felony.
An investigation into Privett was turned over to an ASCO Sexual Predator/Offender Unit detective. The review of Privett’s most recent registration, completed in September, revealed that he had not revealed multiple social media accounts, as required. Investigators determined that the unreported accounts were the same accounts used to post the threatening comments against law enforcement.
On Monday, detectives attempted to locate Privett at his listed place of employment, only to learn that he was no longer employed there. The detectives confirmed that Privett had not reported this change to law enforcement.
Later on Monday, detectives attempted to contact Privett at his listed residence. When Privett answered the door, he attempted to evade law enforcement by retreating inside his home and he resisted deputies’ commands. He was eventually taken into custody.
According to the release, ACSO thanks the community members who contacted law enforcement after reading Privett’s online comments.