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Unregistered sexual offenders arrested
More than five dozen were picked up in the eight counties near Tampa Bay, and the sweep's not over.
By SAUNDRA AMRHEIN
Published May 20, 2005
TAMPA - A statewide, monthlong sweep of sex offenders who moved and failed to register their new addresses resulted in 203 arrests throughout Florida, including 63 in the eight counties near Tampa Bay.
The coordinated police operation was spearheaded by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
Of the arrests throughout Florida, authorities apprehended 203 of the offenders; 334 others were either re-registered, deported, already in jail or dead, Gov. Jeb Bush said Thursday.
"Over the course of the last four weeks, Florida's deputy sheriffs, police officers, FDLE agents and U.S. marshals have knocked on literally hundreds of doors searching for sexual predators and offenders who are dodging registration requirements," said FDLE commissioner Guy Tunnell.
They are still trying to locate more than 1,000 others.
The FDLE Tampa Bay region includes Hillsborough, Pinellas, Polk, Pasco, Hernando, Citrus, Sumter and Hardee counties.
In addition to the 63 offenders arrested in those areas for failing to register, another 51 were verified as dead, deported or in jail, the FDLE said. Addresses were verified for another 38, while four more were arrested on other charges.
Of the 63 arrested for failing to register their addresses, 23 of those arrests were made in Tampa by police Detective Rick Cochran.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office also has been saturating three of its four districts. The final one, in south Hillsborough, is next.
To sexual offenders and predators living there, sheriff's Maj. Bob Shrader had a message: "We'll be seeing you soon."
The sweep came in the wake of two high profile abductions and murders. In March, 9-year-old Jessica Lunsford was killed in Citrus County; last month 13-year-old Sarah Lunde was murdered in Hillsborough County.
Convicted sex offenders were charged with murder in each death.
Tunnell also announced a new, easier to remember Web address for the FDLE's searchable sex offender database: www.floridasexoffender.net
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report
[Last modified May 20, 2005, 01:05:11]
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