A registered sex offender was at it again in Rossville, police say, when an investigation revealed that he had been hanging around a bus stop and attempted to lure a 10-year-old girl into his apartment on several occasions.

According to the Catoosa County Sheriff’s Office:

Joseph Franklin Gentry, 49, of 110 Baylor Lane in Rossville was arrested on Wednesday, Feb. 15, for enticing a child for indecent purposes, and possession of marijuana less than one ounce.

The investigation began after the Sheriff’s Office fielded a complaint that Gentry, a registered sex offender, had been seen loitering around a bus stop and talking with a 10-year-old female multiple times.

Investigators then conducted surveillance near the reported incident location during the time of day when the school bus would drop off the children as scheduled, reports show.

During surveillance, a female child was observed exiting the bus and walked up the street until she got near Gentry’s residence on Baylor Lane, at which time she then ran behind the apartments to avoid Gentry.

Investigators then located and identified the 10-year-old girl as the one described in the initial complaint.

It was then learned that Gentry attempted to get the child to come into his apartment when he was home alone on multiple occasions, reports show.

Gentry was then confronted and placed under arrest, at which time a smoking device made of glass was found in his pocket. During questioning, Gentry took investigators to a small metal box that contained rolling papers and additional marijuana.

Gentry was then transported to Catoosa County jail.

Since his arrest on Feb. 15, Gentry has accumulated new charges stemming from an incident inside the jail.

Gentry now faces four counts of obstructing law enforcement officers and a charge of battery in addition to the charges from Feb. 15.