| January
17, 2006 |
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| Convicted
Sex Offender Arrested After Break-In |
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A registered sex offender
from Morganton was arrested Monday and charged with breaking into a woman's
home and stealing her panties.
Michael Sean Ostrander (left), 33, of 250 North Anderson Street, was arrested
by the North Carolina State Highway Patrol after a vehicle chase on Highway
181, according to reports. The chase began near Steele Creek Park and ended
near the Avery County line. |
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| According to Det. Crystal Watts of the Burke
County Sheriff's Office, the female victim, who's name is being withheld, was
visiting a residence near her own on Fish Hatchery Road when she heard her
burglar alarm sound. |
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| The woman returned to her home and discovered
an older model gray vehicle in her driveway, Watts said. The woman
recounted to investigators that she saw a white male running out of the back of
her residence carrying articles of clothing. |
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| The man reportedly got into his vehicle and
drove off, while the victim followed him and contacted the Sheriff's Office on
her cell phone. |
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| A N.C. Highway Patrolman encountered the
vehicle near Steele Creek Park and pursued it up Highway 181 to the Avery
County line until the driver, later identified as Ostrander, finally pulled
over, Watts stated. |
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| Ostrander, who the victim identified as the man
who ran from her home, was reportedly wearing a "toga" sheet and was nude from
the waist down. |
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| Watts said that authorities recovered panties
belonging to the victim from the suspect's vehicle, along with photos of the
victim Ostrander allegedly stole from her home. |
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| "This is one reason the
North Carolina Sexual Offender Registry exists," said Burke
County Sheriff John T. McDevitt. "The public needs to be warned about
individuals such as this." |
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| Ostrander, who was convicted in Catawba County
in 2001 for attempted second degree rape, spent approximately 4 1/2 years in
prison before being paroled in August, 2005, according to the N.C. Department
of Corrections offender website. |
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| The man also has previous convictions in Watauga
County for misdemeanor assault inflicting serious injury, and a drug charge in
Burke County. |
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| Ostrander was jailed under a $10,000 secured
bond after authorities charged him Monday with felonious breaking, entering and
larceny, felonious possession of stolen goods, and felonious speeding to elude
arrest. He has a first court appearance Wednesday. |
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| In addition to the Highway Patrol and the Burke
County Sheriff's Office, the Avery County Sheriff's Office assisted in the
case. |
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| ************************************************************** |
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