Beaver County deputies searching for local man charged with more than 35 sexual abuse-related felonies

Arrest photo of Destry Mel Stewart, wanted in Beaver County for failing to show up for court on 39 felony charges Monday | Photo courtesy of the Beaver County Sheriff's Office, St. George News

ST. GEORGE — A no-bail warrant was issued for a Beaver County man after he failed to show up for court Monday on multiple charges including rape, and police are asking for the public to be on the lookout for the individual.

Destry Mel Stewart, charged with 39 felonies including rape, unlawful sexual contact with a minor and other sexual abuse charges, failed to show up for a preliminary hearing Monday in 5th District Court in Beaver County, according to a statement released by Beaver County Sheriff Cameron Noel Thursday afternoon.

Stewart, 43, is suspected of sexually abusing teenage girls, and prosecutors say he violated a no-contact order that was filed Oct. 30, according to court documents.

Stewart was released from jail after a bail bondsman posted the $160,000 bail, and once the warrant was issued deputies from the sheriff’s offices in both Beaver and Millard counties conducted a search in the Crystal Park area of Millard County.

The Utah Department of Public Safety provided aerial support as officers searched for Stewart by helicopter, but all efforts have failed to locate the fugitive.

The Beaver County Sheriffs Office is asking the public to be on the lookout for Stewart, Sheriff Cameron Noel said in an email Thursday afternoon, adding, that “Stewart should be considered armed and dangerous and local law enforcement should be called if he is seen.”

Anyone with information is asked to call the Beaver County Sheriff’s Office at 435-438-6473 or dial 911.

This report is based on statements from police or other emergency responders and may not contain the full scope of findings. Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.

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Twitter: @STGnews

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2017, all rights reserved.

 

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4 Comments

  • Real Life November 16, 2017 at 4:43 pm

    Failed to show up for his hearing. WHY … WAS HE NOT IN JAIL??? Look at what he is being charged with, and tell me why he is free? Just wow.
    Ed. ellipsis.

    • DRT November 16, 2017 at 7:19 pm

      “Stewart was released from jail after a bail bondsman posted the $160,000 bail, …”
      I would not be surprised to find the bail bondsman hunting him much harder than law enforcement.

  • paul November 16, 2017 at 7:14 pm

    REALYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY but lets let him out on bail just plain STUPID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • Cabin-time November 17, 2017 at 8:27 am

    From S.G. News March 24th (He is currently in the Clark County Jail awaiting extradition back to Utah where he will be immediately taken to prison upon his return, Beaver County Sheriff Cameron Noel said.)
    Our legal system stinks! First lock them up and then let them go. The revolving door of crime. What a joke!

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