TROY – A convicted sex offender who illegally fled his Troy home is back in Lincoln County for allegedly violating terms of his probation and failing to register as a sex offender.

Robert Patrick Goebel, 25, first registered in Lincoln County Jan. 23, 2025, after pleading guilty in 2024 to three counts of child molestation in the fourth degree.

According to court records, in 2019 in St. Charles County, Goebel, who was 19 at the time, molested a 14-year-old girl.

He pleaded guilty to the charges in October 2024 and was sentenced to four years in prison. However, the sentence was suspended and he was released on five years of probation after serving 120 days of shock time.

After he registered upon moving to Troy, state law required Goebel to re-register in October.

However, before that date arrived, a detective with the Racine County Sheriff’s Office in Wisconsin contacted on Aug. 4 the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office. The detective indicated Goebel was a suspect for stalking, disorderly conduct resisting arrest and possession of narcotics.

After fielding the call from Wisconsin, Lincoln County Sheriff’s deputies responded to Goebel’s registered address that same day but were unable to locate him. They returned Aug. 27 and noticed the blinds were open on the front window of the residence. Looking inside, the deputy noticed there was no furniture and the home appeared vacant.

The deputy then proceeded to contact Goebel’s registered employer, who indicated he quit working in March, which he also failed to notify authorities of.

A warrant was issued Aug. 27 for Goebel’s arrest. The Missouri State Highway Patrol arrested Goebel Monday and brought him to Lincoln County where he remains in the jail on a $15,000 cash-only bond, $5,000 of which is for violating terms of his probation.