Sex offender tries to register, found to be wanted

HARRISON COUNTY -- A convicted sex offender who went to register Thursday with the Harrison County Sheriff's Office was arrested after investigators learned he was wanted in New York, Sheriff Troy Peterson said.

Kelly Anthony McKnight, 40, of Pringle Circle in Biloxi, was wanted for failing to register as a sex offender.

New York's sex offender registry shows McKnight was convicted in 2001 of first-degree rape. He was 26 when he forced himself on a 14-year-old girl.

McKnight had registered with a Rochester, N.Y., address, but reportedly hadn't kept his information current. The website shows he was last photographed for the registry in 2003.

McKnight was held without bond to await extradition to New York.

The Harrison County jail docket shows he has waived extradition proceedings, meaning he agrees to be taken to New York to face the charge.

This story was originally published January 15, 2016 at 5:25 PM with the headline "Sex offender tries to register, found to be wanted ."