Federal Marshals Arrest Iowa Sex Offender At Tulsa Motel

Federal marshals tracked down a former Tulsa resident late Thursday after he failed to return to an Iowa sex offender treatment program.

Iowa authorities say U.S. marshals apprehended Cory West, 42 at a Tulsa motel in the 3300 block of West Skelly Drive.

Police had been searching for West since August 3, 2014 after he failed to return from his job to the Civil Commitment Unit for Sex Offender in Cherokee, Iowa.

The Wapello County Court ordered West into the civil commitment program at the Cherokee Mental Health Institute in 2011 following three convictions in 2008 for assault with intent to commit sexual abuse. He became eligible for a transition release program last fall.

The commitment program provides long-term inpatient treatment for violent sexual predators who have served their prison terms but are considered likely to commit future offenses.

According to court records, West also has convictions out of Missouri and Oklahoma. The Oklahoma convictions were for assault and sexual battery out of Tulsa County in 2001.

West remains in the Tulsa County jail pending extradition back to Iowa.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.