Madison County -- May 19, 2026: Madison County deputies swiftly responded to the presence of a registered sex offender near Mars Hill Elementary School, taking a 78-year-old man into custody and reassuring the community about student safety. The rapid law enforcement action followed reports that the individual was on or near the school campus while students were present.
The suspect, identified as Manuel Cavazos, 78, was arrested in Madison County. According to the Madison County Sheriff’s Office, Cavazos was on the school campus on a Tuesday earlier in the week when children were in school. He is a registered sex offender in North Carolina and is on supervised probation after serving a prison sentence in Florida. As a condition tied to his status and criminal history, Cavazos is legally prohibited from being at or around schools.
Cavazos is listed by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s Sexual Offender and Predator System as a "sexual predator under Florida law." Florida records indicate prior convictions on multiple counts of lewd or lascivious acts involving a child under 12 years old. After his release from prison in Florida, Cavazos relocated to Mars Hill, North Carolina, and registered as a sex offender in Madison County as required.
Upon learning of Cavazos's presence near the school, Madison County deputies responded quickly, located him, and took him into custody. Deputies utilized sex offender registry information from both Florida and North Carolina to confirm his identity, legal status, and the restrictions on his proximity to schools. Cavazos is facing charges related to being on campus at a school despite being prohibited, which may also trigger probation violation proceedings.
Madison County Sheriff's Office:
North Carolina Sex Offender Registry records show that Manuel Cavazos was convicted in Okaloosa County Florida on August 30, 2012, of four counts of Lewd or Lascivious Molestation of a Child Under 12 Years of Age. Following his release from prison and relocation to Mars Hill, Mr. Cavazos was required to register as a sex offender in North Carolina on August 11, 2022. Mr. Cavazos is classified as a sexual predator.
Investigators determined that Mr. Cavazos had been present on property belonging to Madison County Schools located at 200 School House Lane in Mars Hill, as well as on the Mars Hill Greenway, while children were present. Investigators determined that Mr. Cavazos did not attempt to enter the school building.
Mr. Cavazos was arrested and given a $100,000 secured bond by a district court judge. The bond was later posted, and Mr. Cavazos is expected to be released from custody later today.
Sheriff Harwood stated, “The protection of our children remains one of the highest priorities of the Madison County Sheriff’s Office. Individuals required to register as sex offenders are responsible for understanding and complying with the restrictions placed upon them. We will continue to enforce these laws as written to help ensure the safety of children in our communities
The Madison County Sheriff’s Office has emphasized the speed of their response, ensuring that the suspect was taken into custody and is barred from school grounds by law and the terms of his supervision. This swift action aims to assure parents that the threat was addressed immediately and that procedures for handling registered sex offenders near schools are being enforced. The matter remains under active investigation.
Manuel Cavazos
