Iowa City man facing sex offender violation after arrest on theft warrant

Hunter
02/15/21

An Iowa City man is facing a residency violation as a sex offender after being served a warrant on a theft charge from October.

According to Coralville police, they were called to the 1100 block of 21st Avenue Place Sunday at 9pm on reports of a disturbance. There, they noticed 60-year-old Phillip Halliburton of Gilbert Court. Halliburton is a registered sex offender and was at an address within a 2000 foot restricted area. He allegedly had several bags containing all of his property inside the apartment, and under Miranda, reportedly admitted he stores his property there. Both Halliburton and the apartment tenant admitted that Halliburton is at the apartment often.

Halliburton had an outstanding warrant on a theft charge. On October 19th of last year, a $300 Apple Watch was stolen during a burglary. On the 24th, the owner of the watch tracked the item to the apartment Halliburton was at on Sunday. The watch was returned to the owner. Halliburton told officers that he purchased the watch from a friend a few days prior for $100. The friend allegedly bought the watch from another friend, then realized he couldn’t pay for it, so Halliburton said he helped the friend out by buying the watch. Halliburton was unable to provide contact information for the two other involved individuals.

Halliburton was arrested , and a subsequent search turned up a glass meth pipe with burnt residue inside. He claimed he was holding the pipe for his friend.

Halliburton has been charged with 5th degree theft, possession of drug paraphernalia, and a sex offender violation. If convicted on all counts, he could be sentenced to over two years in jail.