| Columbia County Sheriff's Office |
David W. Harrison, Jr., SHERIFF James R. Sweet, UNDERSHERIFF
| Copyright ©2006 Columbia County Sheriff's Office, Hudson, NY 12534 |
Sheriff’s Office Arrest Level III Sex Offender
January 22, 2010
Ghent, NY – Columbia County Sheriff David Harrison, Jr. reports that Deputy Sheriff’s arrested 48 year old
Kenneth Knott, a Level III Sex Offender found residing on NYS Rte 9H in Ghent, NY for Failing to Register Change
of Address, a class E-Felony.
While assisting with the investigation of a fire in the Town of Ghent on January 21, 2010, Sheriff’s Investigator Mark
Dunspaugh found that Knott was residing at a location other then where he was registered in the Town of
Stockport.
The investigation was turned over to Sheriff’s Sr. Investigator William Foster and Deputy Sheriff Wendy Guntert
who manage the residency registration requirements for sex offenders residing in any area of Columbia County
which does not have a city, town or village police department. Their investigation determined that Knott has not
resided at his location of record for almost two months. He was arrested by Foster and Guntert today at about 2:
30PM at the 9H Ghent residence. He was arraigned by Stockport Town Judge Harold Horner and remanded to the
Columbia County Jail in lieu of $5,000 cash bail or $10,00 bail bond as recommended by Chief Assistant District
Attorney Michael Cozzolino. Knott will return to Ghent Town Court on Monday, January 25, 2010.
Sex offenders are required to register within ten days of moving to a new location. Knott had previously reported to
the Stockport Police. The investigation is continuing along with Chief Michael Winnie of the Stockport Police
Department to determine if Knott had filed false information in Stockport. Investigators will also be looking into the
possibility that Knott stayed at a camp ground in Ghent this past summer.
Sheriff Harrison said that the law is clear and there can be no tolerance when it comes to knowing where registered
sex offenders are residing, especially level III offenders. He is asking that anyone with information concerning Knott
contact Sheriff’s Sr. Investigator William Foster at 518-697-0133.
Sheriff Harrison also advises that anyone wishing to search for a registered sex offender in Columbia County can
do so by going to the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services website at http://www.criminaljustice.
state.ny.us/ or contact the Sheriff’s Office in person or by phone for further information.
The Sheriff’s Office has also joined the Family Watchdog website, a free site where anyone can search for
registered sex offenders and also signup for offender alerts. It can be viewed at http://columbiacountysheriff.
familywatchdog.us/ or through a link on the Sheriff’s Office website http://www.columbiacountysheriff.
us/SexOffenders.html .
January 22, 2010
Ghent, NY – Columbia County Sheriff David Harrison, Jr. reports that Deputy Sheriff’s arrested 48 year old
Kenneth Knott, a Level III Sex Offender found residing on NYS Rte 9H in Ghent, NY for Failing to Register Change
of Address, a class E-Felony.
While assisting with the investigation of a fire in the Town of Ghent on January 21, 2010, Sheriff’s Investigator Mark
Dunspaugh found that Knott was residing at a location other then where he was registered in the Town of
Stockport.
The investigation was turned over to Sheriff’s Sr. Investigator William Foster and Deputy Sheriff Wendy Guntert
who manage the residency registration requirements for sex offenders residing in any area of Columbia County
which does not have a city, town or village police department. Their investigation determined that Knott has not
resided at his location of record for almost two months. He was arrested by Foster and Guntert today at about 2:
30PM at the 9H Ghent residence. He was arraigned by Stockport Town Judge Harold Horner and remanded to the
Columbia County Jail in lieu of $5,000 cash bail or $10,00 bail bond as recommended by Chief Assistant District
Attorney Michael Cozzolino. Knott will return to Ghent Town Court on Monday, January 25, 2010.
Sex offenders are required to register within ten days of moving to a new location. Knott had previously reported to
the Stockport Police. The investigation is continuing along with Chief Michael Winnie of the Stockport Police
Department to determine if Knott had filed false information in Stockport. Investigators will also be looking into the
possibility that Knott stayed at a camp ground in Ghent this past summer.
Sheriff Harrison said that the law is clear and there can be no tolerance when it comes to knowing where registered
sex offenders are residing, especially level III offenders. He is asking that anyone with information concerning Knott
contact Sheriff’s Sr. Investigator William Foster at 518-697-0133.
Sheriff Harrison also advises that anyone wishing to search for a registered sex offender in Columbia County can
do so by going to the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services website at http://www.criminaljustice.
state.ny.us/ or contact the Sheriff’s Office in person or by phone for further information.
The Sheriff’s Office has also joined the Family Watchdog website, a free site where anyone can search for
registered sex offenders and also signup for offender alerts. It can be viewed at http://columbiacountysheriff.
familywatchdog.us/ or through a link on the Sheriff’s Office website http://www.columbiacountysheriff.
us/SexOffenders.html .
