Missing sex offender located in Putnam County

A 43-year-old registered sex offender, Joseph Raymond Tavernia, who went missing after he removed his ankle monitoring bracelet in December, has been located and taken into custody in Putnam County this evening.

Tavernia had been living in St Johns County with his girlfriend, 51-year-old Betty Jean Herring, whose last known address was 4800 block of CR-208. According to Herring’s son, the family last heard from her on Monday, December 15th.

Tavernia reportedly cut off his court-ordered ankle bracelet following an appointment with his probation officer.

After searching throughout the day, the suspect and his girlfriend were located in good condition by the U.S. Marshal Fugitive Task Force and the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office. The couple was living in a tent in the woods near the Rodman Dam in Putnam County.

Tavernia was serving probation until 2022, having been convicted of attempted sexual battery against a minor. He was taken into custody today without incident and was charged with violation of probation. He was booked into the Putnam County Jail.

Additional charges are pending further investigation.