40 Sex Offenders Call Lutz Home

You may not know all of your neighbors, but there may be one or two you should be aware of.

A search of the Florida Offender Alert System turns up 40 sex offenders registered in Lutz.

The database is a free service provided through a partnership between the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Florida Sheriffs Association, and the Florida Police Chiefs Association, sheriff’s office spokeswoman Melissa Kincheloe said.

The sheriff’s office also works to keep citizens informed with monthly updates to its registered sexual predator list.  The list is released under the "news releases" tab on the site within the first 5 days of each month, and includes information on sexual predators registered within Hillsborough County, Kincheloe said.

According to Florida statutes, a sexual offender is a person convicted of a sex offense involving a minor. A sexual predator has been convicted of a first-degree felony sex crime, or two second-degree felony sex crimes.

Sexual predators and offenders are required to register with local law enforcement either two or four times per year, based on their offense, according to Florida law.

An individual’s appearance on the registry does not indicate he or she is wanted for that crime; instead it is an indication of a past conviction.

The important thing is just to be aware if a registered offender is in the area, Pasco County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Kevin Doll said.

 “If you see someone who you know is a sex offender interacting with children who are not their own, report it to the sheriff’s office,” Doll said.

But it’s not necessary to constantly monitor the online database.

The Florida Offender Alert System allows you to subscribe to email alerts in the event an offender or predator moves close to any address in Florida you choose to monitor, Kincheloe said.

For example, you can subscribe to alerts for your home address, workplace, or your child’s school, she said.

The database also includes the names and photos of obsconded offenders, those who have failed to update their registration. Law enforcement officials ask that citizens who see these individuals to report it to the appropriate law enforcement agency.

"We need to know where they are," Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco said.