Registered sex offender arrested in Sumner County, police say

PORTLAND, Tenn. – Police say a man who is a registered sex offender lived within Portland city limits without notifying officials.

According to a Portland Police Department social media post, an allegation was provided to the department on March 24 that a registered sex offender was living within the city limits of Portland without reporting his change of address.

Detectives say that Joseph L. Thomas, who is listed on the Tennessee Sex Offender Registry, was allegedly living in Portland from October 2025 until his arrest on unrelated out-of-state charges on March 16, 2026. Thomas reportedly did not inform officials of his change of residence as legally required.

A Sumner County Grand Jury returned an indictment charging Thomas with one count of violation of the sex offender registry, according to the post.

Thomas was lodged at the Sumner County Jail.

The investigation is ongoing.