On February 27, 2025, the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office’s Sex Offender Unit was notified by Atkinson County about a potential sex offender residing in Coffee County. William Fender, 40, from Pearson, was believed to be staying at the Econolodge in Douglas.
According to Georgia State Law, a sex offender must register any change of address with their current registered county as well as the county they intend to move to at least 72 hours before relocating. Fender failed to register his change of address with either Atkinson County or Coffee County. In addition to not registering, Fender chose to reside within proximity of a church which also violates the registry’s requirements.
Following this report, the CCSO Sex Offender Unit made several attempts to reach Fender. Witnesses indicated that he had been living at the hotel for approximately three to four weeks with a hotel employee. Detectives contacted the employee, who initially denied that Fender was living with them but later conceded that he had indeed been there for a considerable amount of time. The detective left a card for Fender to get in touch, and about 30 minutes later, Fender called to say he was returning to the hotel in Douglas.
When the detective returned to the hotel around 6:20 p.m., he learned that Fender had fled into the woods. The detective began searching the hotel grounds and received a call about 15 minutes later indicating that Fender had come back to the hotel. The Sex Offender Unit apprehended Fender and took him into custody. He was transported to the Coffee County Jail, where he is currently held. While the reasons behind Fender’s decision to flee remain unclear, including the fact that he reportedly injured himself during questioning by detectives, it is evident that William Fender did not comply with the requirements of the Sex Offender Registry and violated the proximity requirements. Consequently, he faces a prison sentence ranging from one to 30 years for each violation.
“Our sex offender unit is one of the best. If you are a sex offender and you come to Coffee County, I advise you to notify our office in the appropriate timeframe because if not, we will track you down and you will go to jail.” Stated Sheriff Fred Cole.