A Waukesha sex offender allegedly cut off the GPS ankle bracelet he was required to wear and then mailed it to the Wisconsin Department of Corrections.

According to the criminal complaint, Clarence E. Russell, 45, was living in a residence in the 1300 block of East Moreland Boulevard after being released from prison. He was required to wear a GPS ankle bracelet as one of the conditions of his release. The device was put on him July 6, but one day later, he reportedly removed the device.

Officers were unable to find Russell for 10 days, but he mailed the bracelet to the Department of Corrections and listed his mother's Mukwonago home as the return address, the complaint states. He told police he did remove the bracelet and didn’t think it was a crime to do so.

Russell was charged Monday with one count of tampering with a GPS tracking device, which carries a maximum sentence of 3 ½ years imprisonment.  

According to the Wisconsin sex offender registry website, Russell was convicted of first-degree sexual assault in 1994.