If ever an argument was needed in support of expanding the scope of criminal background checks, this story would be it.

Edward Yancey, a registered sex-offender has been working as a volunteer youth basketball coach for Long Beach, Mississippi’s city recreation program.

The program did run a criminal background check on Yancey, but only in his county of residence. The problem with that is Yancey moved to the area last month and was told to register his new address with the Department of Public Safety. They gave him 10 days to comply, but he failed to follow through.

Had the city’s recreation program expanded their criminal background check to include a nationwide sex offender search, they would have discovered that Yancey is a registered sex offender with a classification of “violent.”

Furthermore, conducting a federal criminal search at his previous address would have provided them with the details of his conviction leading to the sex offender status. Yancey was convicted in 1998 of using a computer to send sexually explicit materials. He was given 3 years of probation, mental counseling and has to register as a sex offender.

Yancey now faces two charges: failing to register as a sex offender and allegedly molesting a 10-year old boy. His bond is set at $1 million.