On Thursday, the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office announced the arrests of two Gulfport residents in connection with the failure to properly register as a sex offender.
36-year-old Andrew Betancourt, was arrested on one felony count of failing to register as a sex offender. His mother, 55-year-old Jodi Klubnik, was also taken into custody and charged with providing false information to law enforcement regarding a sex offender and harboring a sex offender in violation of the law.
The arrests followed a joint operation by the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Marshals Task Force, who served a warrant for Betancourt’s arrest at a home in the 4500 block of Jefferson Avenue on Wednesday. When investigators arrived, they were met by Klubnik, who claimed that her son did not live at the residence and refused to cooperate with authorities.
However, after entering the home, officers discovered Betancourt hiding under a bed. He was arrested and transported to the Harrison County Adult Detention Center. Later, a warrant was issued for Klubnik, and she was also taken into custody.
Betancourt’s bond has been set at $25,000 by Judge T. Lyons. Klubnik, facing multiple charges, is being held on a $200,000 bond set by Judge L. Ladnier.
The investigation is ongoing, and both individuals remain in custody.
