ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) – An Abilene man turned himself in at the Abilene Police Department Tuesday morning, for failing to register as a Sex Offender for more than a year.

Barry McDowell was convicted for Indecency With a Child in September 2019, and had failed to register since July of 2021.

Police said it is required by Chapter 62 of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure that a convicted Sex Offender must register annually.

According to his arrest report, McDowell said he was staying in a barn off FM 600 and did not register because he was avoiding a group of people who were harassing him.