Sex offenders threaten the safety of our community and all our citizens, particularly the most vulnerable – our children.

The Wake County Sheriff’s Office truly believes that education is critical to help the public recognize the danger of sex offenders who are known to us, but also those unknown to us. When possible, we work with schools, day care facilities, churches, etc., to help citizens, especially children, recognize the signs of abuse and what steps to take if abuse is detected. Helping children understand that concept is the first step in stopping the abuse.

The North Carolina General Statutes require that each Sheriff’s Office in North Carolina maintain the Sex Offender Registry in their prospective counties. The statutes require that when a sex offender is convicted by the courts and the offender is ordered by the judge to register, the offender must report immediately to the Sheriff’s Office in the county they will reside. Once a convicted sex offender is registered by the Sheriff’s Office, the offender receives a resident verification letter on or about their anniversary date of registration. After that, the process is repeated every six months or every 90 days, depending on the registration status.

Additionally, the sheriff requires deputies to physically verify an offender’s address a minimum of six times a year. The Sheriff’s Office is authorized to verify an offender’s place of residence at any time.

If the offender abides by all the residential and educational requirements, and the offender is not on active probation, they meet the requirements of the General Statutes.

If deputies discover that they no longer live at that address, they will charge the sex offenders with failure to register and/or failure to notify regarding their address change. By going above and beyond what the law requires, the Wake County Sheriff’s Office wants to use every means possible to better protect and serve the citizens of Wake County.

For additional information or questions, call 919-856-6900 and ask to speak with a member of the Sex Offender Registry Unit.

To search for sex offenders in your area, visit  the North Carolina Sex Offender and Public Protection Registry.