Level III sex offender registers his South Kitsap location

Man has previous sex offense convictions but is not wanted, sheriff’s office says

PORT ORCHARD — A Level III sex offender has re-registered with the Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office and is now residing in South Kitsap.

Joshua Bret Garner, 38, has notified authorities as required by state law that he is now living at a residence in the 2500 block of Brookside Court Southeast.

According to court documents, Garner was convicted of first-degree child molestation in 2006 involving an underage female whom he was babysitting. In 2010, he was convicted of third-degree child molestation and fourth-degree assault with sexual motivation after he assaulted two teenage girls known to him.

Garner has additional convictions of making a false statement, no-contact order violations, telephone harassment, drug possession and failure to register as a sex offender.

Sheriff Gary Simpson said his conviction requires he register with the sheriff’s office in Kitsap County. Garner’s previous criminal history places him at a classification level that reflects the potential to re-offend, Simpson said.

According to a sheriff’s office news release, Garner has served the sentences imposed on him by the courts and is not wanted by law enforcement at this time.

“This notice is not intended to increase fear; rather, an informed public is a safer public,” the sheriff’s office noticed stated.

“Abuse of information provided through the sex offender notification process in order to intimidate, harass or threaten registered offenders will result in an investigation and the filing of criminal charges against the perpetrators,”