Convicted Rapist Not In Compliance With Registry

A convicted rapist has been charged after not updating his address on the sex offender registry.

Stephen Rico, 40, Steelville, faces one count of failure to register as a sex offender.

Rico was convicted for first-degree statutory rape of a person under 14 in February 2004 and a miscellaneous sex violation in August 2022, which occurred in Florissant. 

The Crawford County Sheriff’s Office was notified Oct. 16 that Rico was no longer residing at a residence in the 20000 block of Highway 19 in Cherryville.

Rico, a Tier III offender, is required to update his registry every 90 days and had failed to do so as of Oct. 9.

Deputies went to a residence in the 400 block of Hobo Road on Oct. 31 and learned Rico was living in a tent.