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St. Johns County: Sex offender who cut off ankle monitor, found in closet to appear in court

Sex offender, Robert Ferrell, 35, who prompted a nationwide manhunt after cutting off his ankle monitor last week in St. Johns County, is schedule to appear in court today.

Ferrell was taken into custody Sunday after four days on the run and after just a week of being out of jail from his last sentence.

St. Johns County Deputies searched neighborhoods and eventually found Ferrell in a closet.

Deputies say Ferrell ditched his ankle monitor on US 1.

Justin Guzzo takes care of the home where police found the 35-year-old hiding in a closet after the four day search.

"I got scared. I was like what’s going on?” said Justin Guzzo. "I asked the police when I first got out of the trailer, and he thought i was probably the perpetrator…”

Action News Jax Crime and Safety Expert Dale Carson says absconded sex offenders aren’t uncommon, but typically aren’t easily captured.

"The courts were clearly concerned about his whereabouts," said Carson.  "He is a lewd and lascivious offender. He’s not a rapist, he’s not a kidnapper, and he’s not a homicidal maniac. Those are people they would look for.”

Action News Jax looked into Ferrell’s criminal history and found that he failed to register as a sex offender two years ago.