Convicted Sex Offender Still At Large After Authorities Say He Cut Off GPS Monitor

PALMDALE (CBSLA.com) — A convicted sex offender living in the Antelope Valley remains on the loose after authorities say he cut off his GPS monitor.

Joseph Townsend, 34, was last seen five days ago near 140th Street East in Palmdale. The convicted sex offender lived in a trailer.

Neighbors of Townsend say they didn't know much about him.

"He just got out of prison when he moved here or something, I don't know, but we weren't like too sure or too nosey about it," Alexa Stone, a neighbor, said.

According to the Megan's Law website, Townsend was convicted of possessing child porn and forcing a child younger than 14 to commit lewd acts with him.

Unaware of his history, Cherlyn Brader family, including her young children, befriended Townsend. She alleges that last week she and her husband found child porn on his phone.

"We just figured, 'Let's not let him know that we know and call his parole officer.' Well, we didn't have to because his parole officer showed up that morning," Brader said.

According to the parole office, the agent came for a routine check last Friday and allegedly discovered the child porn.

Authorities say the parole agent didn't feel safe arresting Townsend alone so he went to the Sheriff's station for back-up.

But while away, authorities say, Townsend cut off his GPS-monitoring bracelet and took off.

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors is offering a $20,000 reward for information leading to Townsend's arrest.

Brader says she's now traumatized and hopes he is caught soon.

"I'm always going to remember what I saw," she said. "It's really heartbreaking. Those poor kids on there."