Escaped sex offender believed to be 'still around'

      North Las Vegas police say they don't believe a convicted sex offender who was accidentally released from jail a week ago has left the Las Vegas Valley.
      Lt. Chris Larotonda said detectives suspect Robert Parnell, 53, is likely living in a desert area in Las Vegas.
      "We've had a couple of different sightings in a couple of places that make us believe he is still around," Larotonda said. "He is laying low and not making himself highly visible."
      Parnell was mistakenly released on April 16 because of a combination of human error and a faulty inmate processing system at the North Las Vegas Detention Center, police said.
      Parnell was convicted of failing to register as a sex offender in Nevada. A 30-day jail sentence relating to that charge expired April 16.
      However, Parnell was ordered to remain in jail because North Las Vegas police had obtained warrants on four counts of lewdness with a minor against Parnell while he was in custody. Detention center employees failed to notice that the warrants were in place and released Parnell.
      Parnell was previously convicted of a sexual assault charge in the state of Washington, Larotonda said. He said police do not have specific details of that case, but the assault was a felony.
      Larotonda said the North Las Vegas charges stem from reports that a man was exposing himself to juveniles. Detectives believe Parnell, who police described as a vagrant, would not have had enough money to afford transportation out of the Las Vegas Valley.
      "Metro and all the law enforcement agencies in Southern Nevada are aware that we are looking for him," Larotonda said.