Lansing, Michigan — The Steuben County Sheriff’s Office, located near Indiana’s northeastern border, has requested assistance in apprehending a fugitive registered sex offender.
According to the sheriff’s office, an arrest warrant was issued for Mitchell Wayne Hephner, 34, on February 5. He is wanted on two counts of level 5 felony failure to register as a sexual or violent offender.
The warrant was issued following an investigation into allegations that Hephner violated Indiana’s Sex and Violent Offender Registry requirements.
He allegedly failed to appear at the sheriff’s office to update his registration. Detectives are pursuing additional charges.
Hephner is a white male standing 6’1″ tall and weighing around 190 lbs. He has long brown hair, brown eyes, and is known to wear a goatee or beard. He has tattoos all over his body, including his face.
The sheriff’s office believes Hephner is in Williams County, Ohio, or southern Michigan. He also has connections to DeKalb and Allen counties in Indiana.
He was last seen driving a black 2008 Mercury Milan with the Indiana license plate number NGG747.
Anyone with information on Hephner’s whereabouts is asked to call the Steuben County Sheriff’s Office at 260-668-1000 Ext. 5224, Steuben County Crime Stoppers at 260-668-STOP (7867), the US Marshals Service Tip Line at 1-877-926-8332, or their local law enforcement agency.
