A law enforcement sweep in Yellowstone County, Montana located 95 sexual and violent offenders who failed to register their addresses. According to the Associated Press, 15 of the people located during the operation were sex offenders, and 80 were violent offenders.
As the AP reports, a state law requires people convicted of certain crimes to register their address with local law enforcement, and keep that information updated.
During the sweep, two people were arrested. The first failed to inform authorities of moving from Butte to Billings, and the other had an out-of-county warrant. The other 93 offenders were registered their at their address or after reporting to the Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office.
According to the AP, there are more than 5,500 registered offenders in Montana, 60 percent of which are violent offenders.
Montana’s registration law was first enacted in 1989 for sex offenders, but it’s since been expanded to include violent offenders. The noncompliance figure has been reduced by 40 percent since 2011, the AP said.
“We’re gaining,” said John Strandell, bureau chief for the state Division of Criminal Investigations. “It’s education and holding these offenders accountable.”
