Police looking for accused child molester

FLORENCE - Police are looking for a Florence man accused of raping and sodomizing two girls in 2006.

Florence police detective Keith Johnson said authorities have been searching for Joe Henry Jones Jr. since arrest warrants were issued for him in September 2006.

Johnson said the warrants charge Jones, 33, of 910 W. Montgomery Ave., Florence, with two counts of first-degree rape and two counts of first-degree sodomy

Both offenses are Class A felonies, which are punishable by 10 years to life if the defendant is convicted.

Johnson said Jones has reportedly been in hiding since the accusations were made against him. He said in addition to staying at the West Montgomery Avenue residence, Jones has also lived from time to time at a residence on Pruitt Street in Florence and possibly in other states.

"We have received word that he has been in Louisiana and Ohio," Johnson said.

Authorities said Jones is accused of molesting 9-year-old and 11-year-old girls. Police say Jones was a friend of the girls' family.

Investigators say the sexual misconduct occurred while the girls were living at a residence in west Florence.

"He was indicted in September 2006, and we've been looking for him since that time," Johnson said. "We're asking for the public's help in locating him."

Anyone with any information about the whereabouts of Jones is asked to call the Florence Police Department at 760-6500 or CrimeStoppers at 386-8685.

Tom Smith can be reached at 740-5757 or tom.smith@timesdaily.com.