When convicted sex offenders move into a community, they are required, by law, to register with a local law enforcement agency.
"They must come into the sheriff’s office and fill out a form, provide a DNA sample and have a current photo," Albany County Sheriff’s Deputy Michelle Perue said.
Once the multi-page form is complete, the information is entered into the state’s Web site. An "offender profile" is printed out and distributed in the neighborhoods where the offender lives. By statute, a registered sex offender cannot live within 750 feet of a school.
"We post as many as 300 fliers for each offender," Perue said. "We tape them to every door within the 750 feet radius of the offender’s residence."
Perue said with every notification made, there is always someone in the area who asks for additional information about the offender or who tries to have the offender moved somewhere else.
"The only information law enforcement can provide is what is on the Web site," she said. "The degree of sexual assault is part of the information on the flier and the Web site. Individuals would have to look the statute up to find out what constitutes first, second or third degree sexual assault."
Of the 40 registered sex offenders living in Albany County, "most of them are third degree offenders," she said. "There a few first and second degree offenders but they are not as common."
Since Perue has been working with this program, she said there are a few registered sex offenders who moved to Laramie to attend school.
"They are the ones who come and go," she said. "There a few university students, some who attend WyoTech and some at LCCC. We do have a couple registered sex offenders who have lived here all their lives. Somebody in their family turned them, they went to trial and were found guilty. They had to register and chose to remain here. They just stay away from the family,"
Each registered sex offender is required to check in with the sheriff’s office every three months.
"If they move to another place in the community, change jobs, grow facial hair, shave their heads - make any significant physical changes, they have to report it and provide an
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