A Beaufort County man who’d left the county to escape charges, returned home from New York via a Governor’s warrant, according to a press release from the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office.

Clarence Kevin Thigpen, 46, formerly of Tranters Creek Drive, Washington, was extradited back to North Carolina on Aug. 9, after fighting the extradition process for several months, according to the press release.

“When you’re arrested in another state, typically you’re given the option to fight the extradition or sign an agreement to be extradited,” said Maj. Kenneth Watson, spokesman for the sheriff’s office. “He chose to fight, in hopes that he would not be brought back to North Carolina to face the charges.”

The charges stemmed from a May 5 incident, in which deputies were called out to South Harding Village Road in reference to a domestic dispute. According to the press release, when deputies arrived, they learned the suspect was also a registered sex offender and the location of the disturbance did not match the suspect’s registered address.

Warrants were obtained charging Thigpen with sex offender/failure to notify change of address and sex offender residence restriction/residing within 1,000 feet of educational property, but Thigpen left North Carolina to avoid arrest, the release said.

On April 25, Thigpen was arrested in Columbia County, New York, and transported back to Beaufort County on Aug.9. Upon return, he was served the warrants, along with felony probation violation warrants. He was held under a $165,000 secured bond.