5 Arrests for Sex Offender Registration Requirements Come with Sierra LaMar Search

Five arrests for violations of sex offender registration requirements have resulted from investigating 290 sex offender registrants as police search for , officials said.

The registrants may have violated their sex offender registration requirements, but their arrests were not related to the Sierra LaMar case, Sgt. Jose Cardoza of the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s said. 

The Santa Clara County Sheriff’s SAFE (Sexual Assault Felony Enforcement) Task Force contacted the registered offenders as part of its ongoing investigation into the missing Morgan Hill 15-year-old.

SAFE officials contacted the active sexual assault offenders registered in the South County area, but five failed to register as required by California law. 

"The sexual offenders were contacted because of their status within the past month that we’ve been doing all the checks, and it just happened that they were out of compliance and arrested on unrelated charges," Cardoza said. “It’s related, but not. Had they not been contacted because of the Sierra LaMar case, most likely they wouldn’t have been arrested." 

Sexual offenders are required to register every year on their birthday and receive a card they carry on them afterward. If individuals convicted of a sexual assault aren't carrying their cards when contacted by police, authorities typically call the dispatch center to see if they’re current on their registration or out of compliance, Cardoza said.

“The reasons why they were found to be out of compliance, I don't know,” Cardoza said. “It’s either because they didn’t have their updated card on them or dispatch found they were out of compliance or somehow violated the requirements.”

There are a number of reasons a sexual offender may be found out of compliance, like moving to a different address. In that case, the sexual offender is required to register their new address within five working days, and sexual offenders who own multiple properties are required to register all their homes. 

For information on reporting persons that may be out of compliance of their sex offender registration requirements, please email the SAFE task force at: safetaskforce@sheriff.sccgov.org.

Anyone with information on the Sierra LaMar case is being asked to contact Sheriff's investigators at 408-808-4500 or the anonymous tip line at 408-808-4431.

DESIGNATED EMAIL FOR TIPS ON SIERRA’S CASE: tips@sheriff.sccgov.org

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