An accused child molester’s route to justice took an odd turn last week as members of a Helena police tactical unit took Christopher Tye Moore into custody.

Moore, accused in February 2008 of molesting a child he knew in Port Orchard, Wash., had been on the run for several years.

His effort to escape justice in Port Orchard took him through various states, including Texas and Oklahoma, before apparently settling into life in Helena less than a year ago.

Good police work by the Helena Police Department have helped position Moore to finally have the day in court he has worked so hard to avoid.

Moore, who previously served jail time for forgery and theft, now waits in the Shelby County jail for extradition back to Port Orchard.

Port Orchard, where Moore previously served on the city council, is a beautiful city with friendly people and abundant examples of natural beauty, so it is not completely surprising Moore would choose a city like Helena with similar blessings as a hideout.

So, how did the long arm of the law reach all the way from the shores of Puget Sound to Buck Creek?

A member of law enforcement in Port Orchard, searching the web for clues about Moore’s whereabouts, found an interesting marriage license on this newspaper’s Web site, Shelbycountyreporter.com; seems Moore had recently married here in Shelby County, leaving a paper trail of public documents that literally led investigators straight to his front door.

A jury of his peers back home will decide Moore’s guilt or innocence and our community’s role in this story will end with Moore’s extradition.

But it’s nice to know the long arm of the law, with a little help from folks here in Shelby County, can still find even the most elusive criminals.