Police: Convicted Rome Offender Arrested on Outstanding Warrants

An Oneida County man was arrested on several charges after allegedly failing to check in with law enforcement officials.

The Rome Police Department says that 54-year-old Wendell C. Payton was taken into custody on Monday, April 11, 2022 on several outstanding warrants from Rome City Court.

Payton is charged with the following:

• Failure to Report Change of Address with Prior Convictions (Class D felony)
• Failure to Report 90 Update with the Department of Criminal Justic Services (Class E felony)
• Criminal Contempt in the 2nd Degree for Disobeying a Court Order (Class A misdemeanor)

In a written release the Rome Police Department says that Payton is a level three sex offender who allegedly had not reported with the department since November of 2021.

He was arraigned in Rome City Court and is being held without bail pending a future court appearance.

In New York State convicted sex offenders must notify the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services within ten days of moving as a part of the Sex Offender Registration Act.  As a part of this they must also separately notify the local police department when they have moved and, according to the NYS DCJS, "and comply with whatever sex offender requirements exist in the new jurisdiction."

[AUTHOR'S NOTE:   This post is for informational purposes and is based largely on information received from the Rome Police Department.   The reader is reminded that all suspects and arrested persons are innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.   At the time of this posting no additional information is available.]