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November 11, 2005
846 arrests made in sweep of sex offenders
LANSING (AP) — Police made 846 arrests during a statewide roundup of people accused of violating the requirements of Michigan's sex offender registry law, authorities say.
The suspects include 355 who face felony charges of failure to report new addresses within 10 days of moving, and 465 who face misdemeanor charges of failure to verify their addresses. In addition, 26 are charged with other violations, including failure to pay fees or to sign registration forms.
"Law enforcement in Michigan is committed to ensuring the safety of our children and families by ensuring compliance with our state's sex offender laws," state police director Col. Tadarial Sturdivant told The Detroit News on Thursday. "We are putting registered sex offenders on notice that this is the first sweep, not the last."
Authorities say the 55-day sweep involved 150 law enforcement agencies and prosecutors' offices.
The Grand Haven Post, which patrols Ottawa and Muskegon counties, targeted 425 misdemeanor and felony sex offenders who failed to verify their address among other charges, according to Trooper Jay Sweetland. Of those 425, 249 are accounted for and have either been processed in the court system, charged or warrants have been sought as of Nov. 7.
Sweetland said "Operation Verify," an ongoing initiative to target sex offender violations, began Oct. 1 and ended Oct. 15.
As of Oct. 16, the Grand Haven Post reported 244 sex offenders in Muskegon County failed to verify their address. In Ottawa County, police reported 111 sex offenders failed to verify their address with about 70 offenders in the Tri-Cities and northern Holland area, according to Sweetland.
"I think it was a good effort between all the police agencies to reach a common goal," he said.
Victims of sex offense can view updated residencies of sex offenders by going to the National Sex Offender Public Registry Web site at www.nsopr.gov or the Michigan Public Sex Offender Registry at www.mipsor.state.mi.us and search by ZIP code or by name and age.
"Victims of sex offenses need to know where their offender resides," Sweetland said.
The 11-year-old Michigan Sex Offender Registry included 37,916 names as of Nov. 3.
Moving without reporting the address change carries a penalty of up to four years in prison, while failing to confirm an address as scheduled carries a jail sentence of up to 93 days.
The most recent state police records counted 2,405 sex offenders whose whereabouts were unknown because they had failed to report their new addresses, and 5,941 others who had failed to confirm their addresses to local police.
"Michigan is third in the nation with the number of sex offenders, which is staggering when you consider states like California and Florida (which have a higher population)," Sweetland said, explaining that many sex offenders often "state shop" — or look for states that are somewhat more lenient in pursuing sex offenders. "Muskegon and Ottawa counties are eight and nine in the top 10 counties of sex offenders."
Police are scheduled to verify sex offender addresses again in January.
Tribune reporter Kyle Moroney contributed to this story.
http://www.grandhaventribune.com/paid/284684014151801.bsp
Posted by Nealus at November 11, 2005 04:27 PM
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