LEWISTON — Local and federal police swept across Androscoggin County this week to check up on sex offenders who are required to register with the state.

Investigators from the U.S. Marshals Service were joined by local police and probation officials in the two-day operation that wrapped up Tuesday night.

Police said they caught up with 42 sex offenders from the area. Nearly three dozen were found to be in compliance with the registry.

A few, however, were found in violation, including a Lewiston man who police tracked to Augusta where he was working as a telemarketer.

Travis Jones, 30, was arrested in Augusta and charged with failure to comply with the sex-offender registry law.

“I had been looking for him for quite a while,” Lewiston police Detective Dan Stone said.

When he registered as a sex offender, Jones listed 500 Lincoln St. as his address, Stone said. But when police went there, the building was vacant. Jones had moved on, and until this week, police had no idea where he was living.

In 2000, Jones was convicted of sexual abuse of a minor, accused of having sexual contact with a girl younger than 16. According to the U.S. Marshals Service, Jones has failed to register four times since he was convicted.

He remained at the Androscoggin County Jail on Wednesday night.

In all, seven people were charged during the two-day sweep, according to U.S. Marshal Noel March. Some were accused of probation violations unrelated to their sex crimes.

“The majority of them were in compliance,” Stone said. “We were glad to find that out.”

A Lewiston woman was charged when police discovered she had not provided a correct address to probation officials.

Katherine Holt, 25, was among the first offenders charged when the operation got under way on Monday.

In 2006, Holt was convicted of sexual abuse of minors. She was charged with providing liquor to young teenagers and having sex with them. According to an indictment, Holt engaged in sex acts with a 14-year-old girl who was unconscious or otherwise incapable of resisting.

Investigators said Holt also provided alcohol to a 13-year-old girl and a 14-year-old boy around the same time and that she had sex with the boy.

Holt has been ordered to appear in court on the latest charge of violating probation.

According to March, the operation was part of a nationwide effort to keep track of sex offenders. Marshals will continue to work with local police and probation officials from state to state.

This week’s sweep was timed, in part, with the end of summer, March said. With children soon returning to school, police are particularly eager to ensure that sex offenders are where they are supposed to be.

Monday, Aug. 16:

— Katherine Holt, 25, Lewiston, probation violation (not providing correct address to probation officers).

— Jimmy Davis, 40, Lewiston, probation violation (failure to update registry).

— Ray Fulgham, 48, Lewiston, warrant charging failure to appear on charges of driving while intoxicated, domestic assault and terrorizing.

Tuesday, Aug. 17:

— Matthew Thompson, 31, Auburn, arrested in Sanford, probation violation (not providing address to probation officers).

— Travis Jones, 30, Lewiston, arrested in August, failure to register (fourth offense, Class B felony).

— Cory Mathis, 30, Lewiston, probation violation (alcohol use and contact with domestic assault victim).

— Patrick Robbins, 40, Lewiston, probation violation (alcohol possession).

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