Welcome to Arrest Stories. A Florida town manager candidate with a criminal past was arrested during a sex offender sweep — but it was not for the crime you might be thinking of. Heres what may have happened.
On July twentieth, two thousand twenty six, in Santa Rosa County, Florida, fifty year old April Watson was booked into the Santa Rosa County Jail at approximately ten forty seven in the morning. The arrest came during what the Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office described as a sex offender registry violation roundup — a sweep the agency conducts several times a year to find registered offenders who are not updating their personal information.
Watson, who served as operations manager for the Town of Jay, a panhandle community of five hundred twenty five people, had been under consideration for the role of town manager at the time of her arrest. Just weeks earlier, on July third, Jay Mayor Shon Owens had told the Pensacola News Journal, quote, there is a great deal of confidence within the community in her ability. Shes the right person for the job.
The violation that led to her arrest centered on a stay at Splash RV Resort, located at eighty five hundred Welcome Church Road in Milton, Florida — approximately forty five minutes from Jay City Hall. According to an arrest report, Watson resided at the park from May twenty ninth to June fifth without registering it as a temporary address, as required under Florida law.
An investigator noted in the report, quote, it was recently brought to my attention April Watson stayed at Splash RV Resort located at eighty five hundred Welcome Church Road, Milton, Florida. Watson did not register this as a temporary address. This information was confirmed through Splash RV Resort.
In Florida, convicted sex offenders who fail to notify their local sheriff's office of address changes, new vehicles, new jobs, or new phone numbers can face felony charges. Watson was charged with a felony sex offender violation for failure to register as required.
Watson's status as a registered sex offender stems from an August two thousand nine arrest. Court records show that Watson and another Jay High School teacher engaged in sexual activity with three seventeen year old male students on an occasional basis over a four month period between July first and October thirty first of two thousand seven. Watson was found guilty in April two thousand ten on three counts of unlawful sexual activity with certain minors and was sentenced to fifteen months in state prison, serving twelve months, followed by eighteen months of community control and five years of probation. She has registered with Santa Rosa County authorities approximately seventy five times since her release.
At the regularly scheduled Jay Town Council meeting on the evening of July twentieth, Watson was suspended with pay. Town Clerk Donna Bullock released a statement reading in part, quote, the Town of Jay is aware that April Watson was arrested on July twenty, two thousand twenty six. At this time, the Town has limited information about the charges against Ms. Watson or any of the facts and circumstances which led to this arrest.
Mayor Owens, when contacted following the arrest, sent a text message to WEAR News reading simply, quote, not at this time. We are waiting for more information.
Watson was released from the Santa Rosa County Jail late Tuesday night after posting a two thousand five hundred dollar bond.
All suspects presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Do not take this report as factual, always verify facts. Thanks for watching Arrest Stories.