As Sheriff, I am often asked questions about the sex offender registry process.  I know that this is of great concern to many of you and I hope this article will both enlighten you and increase your confidence that we are doing what needs to be done to make this community safe. I also want to take this opportunity to highlight one of my star employees, Lt. Rebecca Cranford, who manages the sex offender registry for my agency.

Lt. Cranford began with the Sheriff’s Office in November of 1981. During her 34 years of service, she has held several positions within the agency. She worked her way up from being a Deputy to being a Lieutenant Investigator before being assigned to the sex offender registry. Her position requires someone who is tireless and willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done. She is the person for the job. Her duties require her to monitor compliance of all sex offenders within Dougherty County. 

When Lt. Cranford first took the position, there were only about 50 registered sex offenders. However, since most offenders remain on the registry for life and new cases get prosecuted every day, the list has grown considerably. Today there are nearly 350 sex offenders residing in Dougherty County or expected to return to Dougherty County after their release from prison.

Individuals who are required to register as a sex offender in the State of Georgia, report directly to the Sheriff of the County in which he or she resides within 72 hours of their release from prison, placement on parole, supervised release or probation to register as a sex offender.  They must complete the registration forms and be photographed and fingerprinted.  They must also update the information annually (in the case of Dangerous Sexual Predators, every six months), or within 72 hours of any change in their information.

No registered sex offender may reside within 1000 feet of a school, church, child care facility, public park, recreation center, public swimming pool or any place where children congregate.

Any individual who is required to register as a sex offender and who fails to comply with all registration requirements, is guilty of a felony and subject to be punished by 10 to 30 years in prison if convicted.

Sex offenders are a serious threat to public safety, and I am serious about addressing that threat.  This past year due to the expanding registry, I have assigned another deputy, Deputy Michael Kerce to assist Lt. Cranford with this mission.  I am proud to offer this service and protection to the citizens of Dougherty County, and I am honored to have your trust in doing so.  If you would like more information or would like to search the sex offender registry, you can log into www.sheriffalerts.com/ga/dougherty or www.doughertysheriff.com and follow the link at the bottom of the page. If you ever have any questions, feel free to call my office at 229-431-3259 or (229) 430-6508.

About Sheriff Kevin Sproul