September 29, 2006
Five of top ten sex offender absconders caught in last month
LANSING –Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today signed legislation requiring sex offenders to provide address information to corrections officials before being discharged from prison. Granholm, Michigan State Police (MSP) Director Colonel Peter C. Munoz, and Corrections Director Pat Caruso called for passage of the legislation in August. At that time, MSP also debuted a new Web page listing the most wanted sex offenders to provide the public with additional information to assist law enforcement officers tracking offenders who have failed to register. Today, Munoz announced the arrest of five of the most wanted sex offenders.
“We are working to ensure that Michigan’s corrections and law enforcement officers have the tools they need to protect our homes, families and children from those who would do us harm,” said Granholm. “Accurate address information for known sex offenders and improved public communication tools will help them do that job even more effectively.”
The legislation Granholm signed today requires sex offenders to provide the Department of Corrections (DOC) with their address prior to being discharged from Michigan prisons. The three-bill package requires prisoners convicted of a crime that requires registration on the state’s sex offender registry to provide DOC officials with their intended place of residence before being released from prison.
Currently, sex offenders who complete their sentence have ten days from the time of release to notify local law enforcement of their new address. Those who choose not to comply with state law are often difficult to track down after ten days. Granholm noted that three of the five arrests announced today were prisoners who completed their sentence and failed to comply with the ten-day registration rule.
“Tracking offenders once they leave prison grounds is a daunting challenge for local law enforcement,” said Caruso. “This legislation will help ensure that our officers can be meaningful partners in that important effort by providing local law enforcement with address information for offenders once they complete their sentences.”
Five sex offenders featured on the MSP Web site were arrested over the past month on charges associated with failing to comply with the Michigan Sex Offenders Registration (SOR) Act. The individuals had been featured on the Michigan’s Most Wanted Sex Offenders Web site at www.michigan.gov/absconders.
“These arrests are the result of outstanding police work by officers across the country and here in Michigan and demonstrate the transient nature of sex offenders,” said Munoz. “I encourage citizens to visit the most wanted sex offenders Web page and call 1-866-761-7678 with any information on the whereabouts of these offenders.”
The individuals arrested are:
• Kenneth Barnard – arrested in Denver, Colorado, by the Denver Police Department for failure to register;
• Scott Hoffman – arrested in Jackson, Michigan, by the Jackson City Police Department for failure to register;
• Daniel Hull – arrested in Conway, South Carolina, by the Horry County Sheriff’s Department for failure to register;
• Karl Kittsteiner – arrested in Tucson, Arizona, by the U.S. Marshals Service for failure to register; and
• Keith Pardee – arrested in Bath, Michigan, by the MSP for failure to register.
House Bills 5193, 5194 and 6135 were sponsored by Representative Rick Baxter (R-Jackson) and are now Public Acts 402–404 of 2006, respectively. The legislation takes effect in 90 days.
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