Operation Results in 67 Arrests, 143 Warrants Issued Across Georgia for Sex Offender Registry Violations
In a statewide initiative from October 28 to November 4, 2024, Georgia law enforcement officials, led by 78 county sheriffs, conducted Operation Watchful Eye IX, resulting in 67 arrests and the issuance of 143 warrants for sex offender registry violations. This annual operation was first launched in 2015 to strengthen the enforcement of residency and compliance laws for registered sex offenders across Georgia.
During the operation, officers performed 8,569 residence verifications to confirm compliance with state-mandated reporting laws. These checks revealed that 119 registered sex offenders had violated residency requirements, leading to the issuance of warrants. Additionally, 14 new warrants were filed for non-residency-related registry violations, and 10 were for newly discovered sex offenses. Officers also issued 31 warrants for various other charges discovered during the verification process.
In partnership with U.S. Marshals, U.S. Probation officers, and the Department of Community Supervision, sheriff’s deputies across multiple counties tracked down offenders to confirm they were living at their registered addresses. A total of 596 sex offenders were found to have absconded from their registered locations, with many actively avoiding law enforcement. These individuals are now under further investigation as sheriff’s offices continue efforts to locate and apprehend them.
Currently, Georgia has 14,199 registered sex offenders, including 584 classified as predators and 629 who are homeless, requiring close monitoring due to the transient nature of their registered locations.
Operation Watchful Eye IX also recorded 69 new sex offenders relocating into the counties participating in the initiative. Sheriffs statewide are required by law to track the locations of registered sex offenders and inform the public of their whereabouts to ensure public safety.
To stay informed about registered sex offenders in their area, residents can access local sheriff office websites or visit the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s online registry at gbi.georgia.gov/georgia-sex-offender-registry.
