'Stay Vigilant': Deputies Explain Process For Registering Sex Offenders

The state has a website where anyone can look up people on the Oklahoma Sex & Violent Offender Registry. You can click here to access that registry website.

Tulsa County deputies warn parents of the importance of knowing everything they can about who their kids are spending time with.

Deputies recommend all parents type in their own address and learn about any offenders that live around them. They especially think it's a good idea to do before buying a home.

Convicted rapist Jesse McFadden was an aggravated, lifetime member of Oklahoma's Sex Offender Registry.

"I've got a family. I've got a daughter. It kind of hits a little close to home to me because I do worry about her being out there," said Deputy David Williams, TCSO.

Deputy David Williams oversees the Sex & Violent Offender Registry for Tulsa County that has 110 people on it.

He said a Google search will pull up DOC's registry website and you can search by name, the person's description, their crime or by address.

"Stay vigilant. Just watch out for your kids. Watch out for your neighbors. Watch out for your friends," said Deputy Williams.

The website has the person's photo, description of things like scars tattoos, their crimes, address, employment information and a description of their car.

"When a sex offender first come to me, they'll bring in their paperwork from DOC saying I have to register. I'll take that. I have paperwork of my own that I fill out. It's got all kinds of questions that they have to answer and acknowledge. Residency questions. Family questions. Questions about their offense. Their victims. So that way I have the information to put into the system, so I know what to look for and what to watch out for. After that I get a set of fingerprints and I send them up to DOC and I keep a copy up here for myself in the office just in case something happens. Also, I'll take pictures of both the front and both sides of the face and I'll take pictures of tattoos or any identifiable marks they might have. That way if something comes up and, 'oh, we've got this guy, this tattoo,' I have a picture, I can go through and go, 'okay well it might be this guy.' And also every time they come in to register or verify their registration with me I take a new photo of them as well because people can grow beards, they can shave off, people get older, younger, heavier, thinner, that way I have a current and updated picture every year of all the offenders I have," said Deputy Williams.

Sex offenders are in three categories.

A Level 1 offender must register for 15 years and verify their address every year.

Level 2 offenders register for 25 years and check in every six months.

Level 3 offenders register for life and verify their address every 90 days.

Deputy Williams does random compliance checks on the sex offenders in Tulsa County, to make sure they’re living where they say.

"Go to their address, speak with anybody there, speak with them and have them sign paperwork," said Deputy Williams.

He said homeless or transient people have to come in and verify where they're staying weekly.

Sex offenders are required to report when they move and if they move, they have to register in their new town.