I’ve been receiving emails for three weeks now regarding a sex offender purportedly prowling the southwest side of Fort Wayne. I’m sure a lot of you have received them as well.
The original email appears to have came from a Whitley County School administrator.
From: <deleted for privacy reasons>
Sent: Monday, March 23, 2009 4:07 PM
To: STAFF-ADMINISTRATORS
Subject: Sex Offender Hitting local schools in the last week. fyiSteve Lake from Homestead High School called me today and let me know this sex offender has been chasing down students at HHS.
I have emailed the sender of the above email to verify, but have not received a reply.
They day after the above email was supposedly sent, I spoke with Steve Lake, assistant principal at Homestead high School. He confirmed that an incident had occurred, but he could not release additional information. He did indicate he had warned his daughter about the incident.
Last night Indiana News Center ran a story and it appears the emails have now taken on a printed life as a flyer.
Flyers distributed to dozens of mailboxes over the weekend were printed from an online database of sexually oriented offenders.
The particular predator on the flyer was convicted of rape in 1986, but has not been arrested on sex crime charges since then.
While the offender does not live in Allen County, he has been known to frequent the southwest side of Fort Wayne.
That online database they’re referring to is the Indiana Sheriff’s Sex and Violent Offender Registry. The emails are suggesting that Jerry Hillegas, a convicted rapist was the person seen at Homestead. I’ve not been able to confirm this, so I’m not saying he has done anything wrong. However, in doing research on this individual I did find several stories online regarding past incidents involving Mr. Hillegas.
The first was published back in 2000. I didn’t want to pay the fee to Fort Wayne Newspapers, but you can see he was removed from the stadium. This was only 6 months after his release from prison.
News-Sentinel, The (Fort Wayne, IN)
$2.95 – Fort Wayne News Sentinel – NewsBank – Jul 10, 2000
Stahlbusch halted the game until Jerry Hillegas was removed from Memorial Stadium. Hillegas is referred to by many Wizards staffers as “Super Fan,” in ..
From the Warsaw Times Union on January 16th, 2004.
Police Warn About Possible Attempted Abductions
BY KRISTA PRIMROSE, Times-Union Staff Writer [link to article]
WINONA LAKE – A convicted sex offender has been seen in Winona Lake, according to Winona Lake Police Chief Malcolm Gilbert.
Jerry Hillegas, Roanoke, allegedly visited Grace College at least two times this week and stopped young women asking for directions, Gilbert said. He reportedly tried to strike up conversations with both women and may have tried to get them out of their vehicles.
One woman, who was in her car when he approached, allegedly was blocked in by his car when he pulled up beside hers.
Neither woman was injured. Both women recognized Hillegas from a 2002 police advisory and reported him to authorities.
In 2002, Hillegas was banned from Warsaw Community Schools for allegedly trying to get high school girls into his car.
Prior convictions include rape, sexual battery, indecent exposure, criminal confinement, battery and attempted confinement. Charges of attempted murder and battery with a deadly weapon were dismissed in 1985 and he was sentenced on lesser charges.
In the past, Hillegas allegedly has used the story that he needs directions to assault at least two women, including one he reportedly stabbed three times with an Exacto knife.
Gilbert said Hillegas typically tries to get a woman isolated and then get her into his car. He allegedly usually starts a conversation – sometimes about the woman’s car and how it performs.
Christian colleges and college sporting events are reportedly a favorite place for him to target victims, police say.
Hillegas was last seen driving a four-door, 2002, silver Buick car registered to his mother.
Criminal investigations against him are ongoing in three states and in at least four Indiana counties.
He is considered dangerous, Gilbert said.
That was followed up the following week with this from St. Mary’s College.
Flyers warn SMC of rape incident
Angela Saoud
Issue date: 1/29/04 Section: News [link]Saint Mary’s security officers have posted flyers around campus displaying the picture of and additional information about Jerry Hillegas, a convicted rapist who approached two women on another all-female campus Jan. 13.
Hillegas, on two separate occasions and under the pretense of asking for directions, approached two women at Grace College in Warsaw, Ind., and asked them to get into his car. Neither woman was injured.
“We want to make sure everyone is given the information but understands that we have no indication that he is coming this way,” said Dave Chapman, director of Saint Mary’s security. “We’re in a mobile society, and what we want to do at this point is make everyone aware of what has happened.”
Saint Mary’s junior Meredith Gramann said she was surprised last week when she saw Hillegas’ face and information posted in her dorm.
“I was alarmed at the fact that this man could be on our campus,” Gramann said. “It sort of got posted without much explanation, and it didn’t appear on the Internet site until a few days later.”
Chapman insisted all three campuses are safe and the posters are just a precaution. He said Saint Mary’s has rarely had problems with intruders on campus, and no incidents have occurred during his three months of employment at the College.
A Jan. 16 report in the Warsaw Times-Union newspaper, however, said Christian colleges and college sporting events are supposedly a favorite place in which Hillegas targets victims.
Hillegas’ prior convictions include rape, sexual battery, indecent exposure, criminal confinement, battery and attempted battery.
He was last seen driving a 2002 silver Buick Regal four door with the Indiana Plate 35A9347. He was also previously seen driving a 1996 blue Chevy Lumina four door with the Indiana Plate 35B7621.
Chapman offered suggestions for anyone who sees Hillegas or anything suspicious on campus.
“If you see him, or anything that doesn’t seem right, call security and give us as much information as you can,” Chapman said. “In these situations, we’d rather be safe than sorry.”
Then on 2006, Manchester College issued this warning. [link]
SECURITY ALERT
1-23-2006Over the past weekend, the North Manchester Police Department received a complaint from a local female high school student who was being bothered by Jerry Hillegas, a known sex offender. In the past, Hillegas has been a problem within other Indiana communities, and has targeted both high school and college-age female students. For the past two years, Hillegas has been banned from our campus. If you see him at any time on the property of Manchester College, immediately call 5999, and an officer will respond to that location and follow up on your information. A picture of Hillegas is provided below, and more details can be found at the following links. Hillegas was last known to be driving a 2002 Buick, silver, 4 door, Indiana license number 35A9347.
It included this picture.
For more information regarding this, or any other violent or sex offender, visit the Indiana Sheriff’s Sex and Violent Offender Registry. [link]
There you can find a current picture and additional details.
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Thanks for posting this very important information. You are doing a real service keeping these perverts in the public eye and thus making the community safer for our children. Good Job Dan!
I used to live in FW, but recently moved to Toledo. My wife and I have always been active in attending local sporting events. This man used to be seen at almost every local sporting event. I have personally witnessed his removal from two events. One event was a baseball game at Memorial Stadium and one was at a football game at St. Francis. At one point, his picture was posted at the Coliseum for vendors and ushers to watch out for. I don’t know him personally, but from what I’ve seen and all of the rumors I’ve heard, the guy creeps me out. Definitely be on the look-out for this guy!!
Jerry Hillegas lives in my small town (Roanoke), and has been on the prowl ever since his release from prison (crimes including rape and criminal confinement). Local police have stated his parole time is up. However, I just can't understand why, WHY we all continue to condone the fact he repeatedly shows up at venues/locations he's been forbidden to attend. He showed up 4/12/2010 at Huntington University in the library, where a female student unknowingly was assisting him on the computer. He knows he's not to get within a certain distance of any schools. Yet this registered sex offender continues to be "escorted by four police officers from the premises". Is he not breaking laws? How cordial that he's "escorted". Meanwhile, are his violent desires escalating? He's been lurking around/bothering the young women who work at a local coffee spot. Again, he's escorted away…..Can't everyone see where this is heading? How about a grass roots effort to annoy him, be on his tail 24/7, and intimidate him? He's a dangerous menace.
As of October 2011, Jerry Hillegas has been seen in Wabash, IN. He is following people as well as asking young women /'s he shouldn't be asking a teenager. Please keep a look out for him. He is now driving a Blue Honda, not sure of the plate # but will post when I find out!
HE LIVES SOUTHWHITLEY,INDIANA NOW AND STILL UP TO HIS OLD TRICKS BEWARE YOUNG GIRLS!!!