Offender Registry Enforcement

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

The Sheriff's Office 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 time 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.

The primary responsibility of this division is to register convicted sex offenders as required by law. Deputies will register sex offenders that have been released from a penal institution or moved to Carteret County either from another county or state. These deputies also investigate any complaints that have been reported. The offender must report to the sheriff's office in person to verify that he or she still resides at the address currently on file. As long as 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. The Sheriff's Office is authorized to verify an offender's place of residence at any time.

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 Carteret County Sheriff's Office wants to use every means possible to better protect and serve the citizens of Carteret County.

To check for sex offenders living in your area or register to be notified by email if a registered sex offender moves to your area visit the North Carolina Sex Offender and Public Protection Registry.

For additional information or questions, call (252) 728-8400.