ST. GEORGE — A Beaver County man surrendered to authorities Friday evening after a no-bail warrant was issued earlier this week after he failed to show up for court on multiple felony charges.
Destry Mel Stewart, charged with 39 felonies, including rape, unlawful sexual contact with a minor and other sexual abuse charges, failed to show up for a preliminary hearing Monday in 5th District Court in Beaver County.
At 5:30 p.m. Friday, Beaver County Sheriff Cameron Noel was advised during a phone conversation with one of Stewart’s family members that he wanted to turn himself in, according to a statement released by the Sheriff’s Office.
Noel also spoke briefly to Stewart, who assured the sheriff he would surrender, the statement said. Two hours later Stewart walked into the Beaver County Sheriff’s Office and was taken into custody.
Stewart, 43, is suspected of sexually abusing teenage girls and prosecutors say he violated a no-contact order that was filed Oct. 30 after he was released from jail, according to court documents.
Once the warrant was issued Monday, officials searched the Crystal Park area of Millard County and other areas. Among those involved were personnel from Beaver and Millard county sheriff’s offices, and Utah Department of Public Safety, which provided aerial support as officers searched by helicopter.
This report is based on statements information provided by law enforcement agencies and may not contain the full scope of findings. Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.
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