One half of all the sex offenders wanted in Western Pennsylvania have been located thanks to a joint effort among federal, state, county and local law enforcement agencies.
On Thursday, U.S. Attorney David J. Hickton and U.S. Marshal Mike Baughman had a press conference at the federal courthouse in Pittsburgh to announce the success of Operation Grand Slam, an effort their agencies and other local departments undertook in May and June that resulted in 35 sex offenders out of a total of 70 identified being picked up by police. The effort drew on support from Pennsylvania State Police, members of the Allegheny and Westmoreland county sheriff's offices, Allegheny County police and various other local police departments, including McKeesport and Elizabeth.
Of the 35 sex offenders apprehended regionally, 28 were wanted for failing to comply with registration requirements. There were 122 offenders arrested statewide and in Delaware as part of the operation.
Hickton said while more cases involving sex offenders are being prosecuted, there also is an increase in the number of sex crimes like sex tourism, prostitution and child pornography being committed, thanks in part to the Internet.
"These are abhorrent crimes," Hickton said.
Baughman said efforts such as Operation Grand Slam send a message to sex offenders who are required to update their sex offender registration status every time they move.
"This is the law and we are enforcing it aggressively here in Western Pennsylvania," he said.
The conference was one day after the fifth anniversary of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act was signed into law. The federal statute is similar to Megan's Law, which is observed in many states and requires sex offenders to register and update their whereabouts with law enforcement agencies when they move if they've been convicted of a sex crime.
It was noted at the conference the federal statute enables federal and local agencies to work together to apprehend sex offenders who cross state lines.
U.S. Marshals Service Deputy Tad Thompson said the operation led to the arrest of Blake Brown, 26, of McKeesport, in McKeesport by sheriff's deputies. Brown, who failed to comply with registration requirements for sex offenders, is being held in the Allegheny County Jail on $25,000 bail.
McKeesport police Capt. of Detectives Tim Hanna, who participated in the conference, said all sex offenders living in McKeesport were in compliance with their registration requirements when police checked on them, though officers did identify and apprehend one offender who was on a list from another community while performing the checks.
"It was good to know they were all where they were supposed to be," Hanna remarked of the offenders.
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