Across Acadiana we’ve seen an increase in law enforcement cracking down on sexual predators.

Door to door compliance checks have been done for years but authorities are also working to improve online sweeps, as well.

Upon their release from jail, some sex offenders have strict guidelines to follow. 

At times, those guidelines are only as effective as law enforcement makes them.

Which is why officials in St. Landry and Acadia Parishes are staying active.

Over the past two weeks, the Acadia Parish Sherriff’s Office ran compliance checks on 29 sex offenders.

In the process, 24 of them were clear of violations; five were not.

Acadia Parish Sheriff K.P. Gibson said, “Two had an extension from the court so, those folks have that timeframe to get their registration requirements. As for the other three, we’re going to do an investigation.”

Sheriff Gibson says from their immediate intel, the other three offenders were not in compliance.

“So, what our goal is from this point, we’re going to take the extra steps, we’re going to review it and if it is a violation of the law we’re going to issue a warrant for their arrest and charge them,” Gibson explains.

The St. Landry Parish Sheriffs Office has seen consistent growth in rogue offender deduction.

In 2016, 34 offenders were arrested, 31 in 2017, and 23 arrests have been made eight months into 2018.

Sheriff Bobby Guidroz says, “We have two full-time detectives, that’s all they do is monitor, track and ensure that sex offenders that reside in St. Landry Parish they make sure they comply with the law.”

Sheriff Gibson says the point is to protect the public.

Making sure offenders are in compliance by registering their address and obeying social media restrictions is just a part of that process.

“Social media, there are so many different ways around it: fake identities, fake names, so that’s definitely a very big challenge but again, another tool that we have to work with to try and make sure we are protecting our families,” he says

In Acadia Parish, if sex offenders are of a certain tier, they are not allowed to be out during Halloween.
If trick or treating hours are from 5 to 7, offenders of that tier have to spend that time at the sheriff’s office.

For additional things to know, talking to children about sex offenders, and warning signs click here.