- Wakulla County Sheriff's Office recently arrested multiple sex offenders who failed to register.
- Parents say they're being vigilant.
- Watch the video to see how you can stay aware and know who's in your neighborhood.
Broadcast Transcript:
"I'm very watchful."
Amy Drexler a parent who lives in Crawfordville.
She says she is especially watchful after learning she lives near seven sex offenders that are on that list.
She's helping her family stay aware.
"I am protective we live in a an area where is that lots of people driving underneath the power lines all the time and we've got to guard dogs outside so I know what's going on but I'm aware of where they are what they're doing we don't allow them to go even ride their bikes in our neighborhood."
The arrests are part of a bigger push to crack down on people not registering.
Back In February I interviewed the Wakulla County Sheriff's Office after they reported arresting 10 sexual offenders or predators. This past month they reported 8 more arrests.
Can you talk about how it’s been moving along and what you guys have been doing day-to-day?
“Anybody that is a sex offender or a sexual predator that’s registered in Wakulla County we’re not going to harass them but we are going to hold them to the standards of their release and their convictions so there’s a whole list of things that registered sex offenders have to do per their court order and we make sure they’re held to those standards we make sure they’re accurate with their addresses, any computers or emails they’re using of any of those things.”
Lieutenant Jeff Yarbrough says they also work with other agencies to monitor sex offenders in the area.
“We are constantly monitoring it and it’s a continuous process, but hopefully I would love to say and the Sheriff would love to say we don’t have to do more press releases saying we’re arresting everybody because everybody is adhering to the terms of their release and as long as individuals are abiding by state laws with being a registered sex offender then there won’t be any continued operations, but if someone is found to be in violation we are going to make sure that they are held accountable.”
Here are resources to stay aware and safe:
https://www.wcso.org/ru/page/sex-offender
https://offender.fdle.state.fl.us/offender/sops/offenderSearch.jsf
https://www.rainn.org/articles/protecting-children-sexual-abuse#:~:text=RAINN
