337 MI sex offenders are non-compliant

LANSING, Mich. (WOOD) - Michigan State Police arrested 144 non-compliant sex offenders during their recent Operation Verify initiative.

This was the state's seventh coordinated sex offender sweep in five years. More than 125 federal, state and local law enforcement agencies participated Oct. 18-29.

Authorities conducted compliance checks at the registered residences of 2,232 offenders, resulting in the arrests for violating the Michigan Sex Offenders Registration Act. There were also requests for arrest warrants for another 193 non-compliant offenders.

The act requires offenders convicted of a misdemeanor-listed offense to report to police to verify their address year Jan. 1-15. Offenders convicted of a felony-listed offense must report to police 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, and failure to do so is a four-year felony.

As of November, there were 46,635 offenders on the Michigan Sex Offender Registry. Following the October verification period, 43,293 offenders were in compliance.

In addition to Operation Verify, state police participates in several local and regional sweeps each year. A total of 14 top 10 offenders have already been located and arrested this year.

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Online:

Michigan Public Sex Offender Registry

Michigan Public Sex Offender Registry wanted absconders