EAST LANSING. The Michigan State Police (MSP) announced today that 196 non-compliant sex offenders were arrested and 682 additional arrest warrants were requested during the state’s fifth coordinated sex offender sweep. The initiative, known as Operation Verify, is aimed at increasing compliance with Michigan’s sex offender law.
The effort, which was led by the MSP, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service, involved over 90 federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. From October 20 - 31, officers statewide conducted residence checks on 3,194 registered offenders, making 196 arrests for violations of the Michigan Sex Offenders Registration Act (MCL 28.723 – 28.732).
Since the first statewide sweep in the fall of 2005, 2,396 sex offenders have been arrested for non-compliance as part of Operation Verify.
The Michigan Sex Offenders Registration Act requires offenders convicted of a misdemeanor listed offense to report to a local law enforcement agency to verify their address yearly, January 1 through January 15. Offenders convicted of a felony listed offense must report to a local law enforcement agency to verify their address quarterly during the first 15 days of January, April, July and October. Failure to do so is a graduated penalty ranging from a 93-day misdemeanor to a four-year felony. Convicted offenders must also report a change of address within 10 days of moving; failure to do so is a four-year felony.
As of November 18, there were 43,613 offenders on the Michigan Sex Offender Registry. On average, 200 new offenders are added to the Michigan Sex Offender Registry per month.
In addition to Operation Verify, the MSP participates in several local and regional sweeps each year. The department also maintains a list of the Most Wanted Sex Offenders, available at www.michigan.gov/absconders. A total of 25 individuals featured on the Web site have been located and arrested since it began in August 2006.
CONTACT:
Sgt. Michele Hernandez
MSP Statewide SOR Enforcement Coordinator
Phone: (517) 322-1378.
The media is encouraged to contact their area coordinator for more information.
D/Sgt. Denise Bentley
Western Mid-Michigan Coordinator
Phone: (616) 866-4783
D/Sgt. Cyndee Gochanour
Mid-Michigan Coordinator
Phone: (517) 849-9922
D/Lt. Wally Helmila
Upper Peninsula Coordinator
Phone: (906) 225-7030
D/Lt. Amos Horton
Northern-Lower Michigan Coordinator
Phone: (231) 938-0714
D/Sgt. Doug Kill
Southwest Michigan Coordinator
Phone: (269) 465-6525
D/Sgt. Allan Ogg
Bay-Thumb Area Coordinator
Phone: (989) 758-1760
F/Lt. Robert Yorke
Metro-Detroit Area Coordinator
Phone: (586) 727-0203
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