U.S. marshals are looking for a 79-year-old man who is wanted on charges of failing to register as a sex offender and violating his parole for armed robbery.

The armed robbery happened in the 1980s, but the conviction for child sex assault came in 2007.

"While we don't believe this almost 80-year-old man is running around the nation's capital sticking up people at gunpoint, he has a long history of violence [including] the recent sexual assault of a child," said Matt Burke, supervisory inspector for the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force.

Clarence Griffin is wanted by the Prince George's County Sheriff's Office and Maryland State Police.

He's listed as 5-foot-3 and 147 pounds and sometimes go by the name "Shorty."

He was supposed to be living in Suitland, and has lived in Northwest D.C. in the past. He could be homeless.

Griffin has a 22-year history of arrests mostly involving armed robberies and thefts in D.C., Maryland and New Jersey, deputies said.

"We want to bring Griffin back under appropriate supervision so that he doesn't have the opportunity to cause more damage," Burke said.

Anyone with information should contact the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force at 301-489-1705.

Since the "Most Wanted" feature began in 2008, The Washington Examiner has been credited with the arrest of at least 47 fugitives, including convicted murders, kidnappers, sex offenders, drug dealers and con artists.

(See a photo gallery of fugitives captured thanks to tips from Examiner readers)

Last week, a reader's tip led to the arrest of a convicted kidnapper who held his victim at gunpoint for a day.

The Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force is composed of 30 federal, state and local agencies from Baltimore to Norfolk.

smccabe@washingtonexaminer.com