Offender Watch

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  • View information on Sex Offenders in Van Wert County
  • View a slide show Community Awareness Presentation about sex offenders
  • Sign up to receive email notifications from the Sheriff's Office when a sex offender registers an address in your area
  • Contact the Sheriff's Office for further information regarding sex offenders

Ohio Sex Offender Laws
The County Sheriff is responsible under Ohio law for the registration of sex offenders. Sex offenders must register with the County Sheriff on a scheduled periodic basis which is determined by their sex offender classification as listed below. In addition to scheduled periodic registrations all sex offenders must also register with the Sheriff any change of residential address, place of employment, enrollment in a school or institution of higher education, telephone numbers, vehicles, and internet identifiers.

Sex Offender Classifications
Sex offenders are classified in one of the following classifications.

  • Sexually Oriented Offender (offenders convicted prior to 1-1-08) must register once annually for 10 years.
  • Habitual Sex Offender (offenders convicted prior to 1-1-08) must register twice annually for 20 years.
  • Sexual Predator (offenders convicted prior to 1-1-08) must register every 90 days for life. Sexual predators are also subject to community notification, which means upon a change of residential address, the County Sheriff will provide notice to a neighborhood within 1000 feet of a sexual predator's residential address. The County Sheriff will also provide notice to schools, pre-schools, licensed day care providers, and law enforcement agencies within the county.
  • Tier I Sex Offender (offenders convicted after 1-1-08) must register once annually for 15 years.
  • Tier II Sex Offender (offenders convicted after 1-1-08) must register twice annually for 25 years.
  • Tier III Sex Offender (offenders convicted after 1-1-08) must register every 90 days for life. Tier III sex offenders may also be subject to community notification when ordered by the sentencing Court, which means if public notification was ordered by the sentencing Court, upon a change of residential address, the County Sheriff will provide notice to a neighborhood within 1000 feet of a Tier III Sex Offender's residential address. The County Sheriff will also provide notice to schools, pre-schools, licensed day care providers, and law enforcement agencies within the county.