Convicted Sex Offender Living Near Schools

The Pinal County Sheriff’s Department recently released information alerting the public a registered sex offender has moved to Maricopa. James Hensley Lewis, 51, was convicted of sexual assault in 1989 and is now living and working at White’s Towing, across Maricopa Road from Maricopa Elementary and Maricopa Secondary schools.

Mr. Lewis is classified as a “high risk to the community” as a Level Three Sex Offender. Despite that, Tim White, owner of White’s Towing (18917 N. John Wayne Parkway), feels comfortable with his decision to house and employ Mr. Lewis. Having spent the last 15 years behind bars, Mr. White said “He’s paid his dues.”

According to Mr. White, a member of the Maricopa School Board, the charge against Mr. Lewis is inaccurate. When asked if housing a registered sex offender conflicted with his position as a member of the School Board, Mr. White responded “No, not at all. He was not a rapist. He was a pimp and went to jail as a pimp.”

“People are paranoid and I can relate to that,” said Mr. White. “But if he was a rapist, I wouldn’t trust him around my 10 year-old daughter or wife.”

Alma Farrell, Maricopa Unified School District superintendent, said “Having a sex offender live and work close to our main campus is worrisome. However, there are not any children, except Mr. White’s child, that walk or pass through John Wayne Parkway past Honeycutt Avenue.”

Referring to Mr. White’s involvement, Ms. Farrell responded “I have to assume that as a trusted School Board member he would not jeopardize the safety of any of our students.”

According to SGT Kaye Dickson of the Pinal County Sheriff’s Department, Mr. Lewis “is not on parole and not on probation and can live anywhere he wants.” SGT Dickson also warned that if a member of the community sees him or any suspicious people around the school grounds they should call the Sheriff’s Department.

Mr. Lewis is a 5’8″ tall African American male, weighs 165 pounds and has black hair and blue eyes.

For more information, visit the Arizona Department of Public Safety Sex Offender InfoCenter.

Please note per the Sheriff’s Department: This notification is not intended to increase fear; rather it is our belief that an informed community is a safer community. Citizen abuse of this information to threaten, intimidate or harass sex offenders will not be tolerated.