Warrant issued for sex offender found living within 150 yards from school

A warrant was issued for a local man who failed to show up to court after he was found living near an elementary school.

Bryan Neal Fishburn was arrested in September after authorities discovered he failed to register as a sex offender, and was living close to Greenwood Elementary.

On Sept. 6, Cherokee County Sheriff's Sgt. Ryan Robison was contacted by a parole officer who was inquiring about Fishburn, who was arrested for a warrant in August. The parole officer asked if Fishburn registered with the sheriff's office and Robison advised he hadn't.

Robison contacted the Tahlequah Police Department and was told Fishburn was also not registered. Robison made contact with Fishburn and interviewed him.

Fishburn allegedly said he was residing at a family member's house on East Jo Street, 154 yards from Greenwood Elementary School. He also said he hasn't registered with law enforcement in four years.

In October 2012, Fishburn was convicted of lewd or indecent proposals/acts to a minor and is categorized as a level 3 aggravated offender.

Fishburn was arrested and booked for failing register as a sex offender and violating the sex offender registry by living within 2,000 feet from a school.

Fishburn was slated to appear in Cherokee County District Court Dec. 4 and Dec. 18 when he didn't show up. A bench warrant was issued Dec. 20.