FAYETTE COUNTY, WV (LOOTPRESS) – A routine sex offender verification check in Fayetteville led to the arrest of a registered offender after authorities say he failed to report a social media account as required by law.
On Saturday, January 3, 2026, at around 7:21 p.m., Senior Trooper Ferris conducted a verification check on William Howard at a residence on Franklin Heights in Fayetteville, according to a criminal complaint. During the visit, Howard reportedly showed the trooper several mobile applications on his phone — including the social media platform TikTok.
Trooper Ferris reviewed Howard’s registration records and noted that the TikTok account was not listed, as required under West Virginia sex offender reporting guidelines. Howard then opened the app and showed the trooper his profile, which displayed multiple posted videos dating back to January 14, 2023, with the most recent posted on December 31, 2025, the complaint states.
After being read his Miranda rights, Howard told Ferris he had maintained the TikTok account for approximately three years.
West Virginia State Police records indicate that Howard last registered at the Oak Hill Detachment on December 22, 2025, and signed a Form 270 acknowledging his reporting responsibilities. The form requires sex offenders to report changes to information such as internet accounts, screen names, phone numbers, and emails within ten business days.
Howard was arrested and transported to the Oak Hill Detachment for processing on a charge of failure to register as a sex offender.
