Government wants Newton County sex offender held without bond

During the first court appearance today for a sex offender who has been in Newton County since at least October, Assistant U. S. Attorney Ami Miller asked that he be held without bond while awaiting trial.

A federal grand jury indicted Gabriel Melchor, 52, an offender with a documented 25-year history of sexually abusing children Thursday with a charge of falling to register.

U. S. marshals had been hunting for Melchor since 2017 when he failed to register for a third time in Texas.






The detention hearing is scheduled for 9:45 a.m. Wednesday in Springfield.

More information about Melchor's background can be found at this link.