Authorities Continue to Track Idaho Sex Offenders

BOISE, Idaho – In cooperation with its local and state law enforcement partners, the U.S. Marshals Service recently conducted Operation “Not In My County” across southern Idaho to verify that known sex offenders from the Idaho Sex Offender Registry were living at the residences where they are registered and to arrest wanted sex offenders and other violent offenders.

During the weekends of Aug. 28-29 and Sept. 11-12, combined law enforcement teams conducted compliance checks of registered sex offenders from the Idaho State Sex Offender Registry, focusing on sex offenders residing in Ada, Bannock, Bingham, Bonneville, Canyon, Elmore and Owyhee counties.

During the four-day operation, 1,376 in-person compliance checks of registered sex offenders were conducted. Of these, 1,312 offenders were determined to be living at the addresses listed on the sex offender registry as required. The other 64 were found to be non-compliant with their registration requirements for various reasons. Two of these non-compliant sex offenders were arrested on new charges and four were required to move to a new residence due to their current residence’s proximity to schools. Others have since complied with their registration requirements by updating information while some are under investigation for potential new criminal charges.

The second focus of the operation was to locate and arrest wanted subjects who had existing arrest warrants for sex offenses or other violent offenses. The Greater Idaho Fugitive Task Force, a USMS sponsored, multi-agency fugitive task force, took the lead in these arrests. Nineteen wanted subjects were arrested during the four days of the operation. Of these 19, two were for rape, three for aggravated battery and attempted strangulation, three for failure to register as a sex offender and 11 for parole or probation violations stemming from original convictions for sex offenses.

The enactment of the Adam Walsh Act in July of 2006 made the USMS responsible for conducting investigations and assisting local and state law enforcement in conducting investigations of non-compliant sexual offenders across the United States. Since July 2006, the USMS has apprehended approximately 20,000 fugitives wanted for sexual assaults, sex offender registration violations and other sex crimes. Additionally, investigators have opened more than 2,200 investigations on convicted sex offenders for violations of the Act and arrested more than 400 individuals, who have been charged federally.

In addition to the USMS, this operation was supported and staffed by the Ada, Bannock, Bingham, Bonneville, Canyon, Elmore and Owyhee County Sheriff’s Departments, Blackfoot Police Department, Nampa Police Department, Idaho State Police, Idaho State Probation and Parole, Idaho Sex Offender Registry, U.S. Attorney’s office and U.S. Probation.

“This operation is an example of what can be accomplished in making our communities safer, through the cooperation of local, state and federal law enforcement agencies combining their efforts to reach a common goal,” said U.S. Marshal for the District of Idaho Brian T. Underwood.