BELOW SUPERNAV drop zone ⇩

Sex offenders barred from shelters in some Florida counties

  • The sheriff in Flagler County told sex offenders they would have to stay at the jail
  • Other counties have set up separate shelters for those on the registry
  • Sex offenders face possible felony charges if they try to stay at a shelter with children
A general view of the sandbags to be distributed as part of precautionary measures in anticipation of the arrival of Hurricane Milton on October 07, 2024, in Miami, Florida, United States.

MIAMI, FLORIDA, UNITED STATES – OCTOBER 07: A general view of the sandbags to be distributed as part of precautionary measures in anticipation of the arrival of Hurricane Milton on October 07, 2024, in Miami, Florida, United States. (Photo by Jesus Olarte/Anadolu via Getty Images)

MAIN AREA TOP drop zone ⇩

MAIN AREA TOP drop zone ⇩

ovp test

mLife Diagnostics LLC: Oral Fluid Drug Testing

Male shot by female at Shreveport apartment

Class to create biodiverse backyard

Rules for outbursts at Caddo School Board Meeting

AUTO TEST CUSTOM HTML 20241114185800

AUTO TEST CUSTOM HTML 20241115200405

(NewsNation) — Sex offenders in one Florida county are being told they cannot enter shelters during Hurricane Milton and must stay at the local jail instead.

Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly announced that anyone labeled a sexual predator by the state would not be welcome at regular shelters, directing them to stay at the county jail if they are in an evacuation area instead.

It’s not the first time Florida counties have barred people on the sex offender registry from shelters. In 2019, during Hurricane Dorian, officials told sex offenders to stay out of shelters. One resident spoke to Prison Legal News and called the experience “traumatic” and said they would not subject themselves to it again.

Not all counties are taking the same approach, however. In Marion County, a separate shelter was announced for those on the registry.

Sex offenders risk felony charges if they try to stay at a regular shelter where children are staying, giving them fewer options for evacuation during a storm.

A 2018 law also adds an additional hurdle for those who might evacuate instead of heading to a shelter by requiring sex offenders to register temporary addresses within three days and update their driver’s license or ID with that address within 48 hours of departing.

Those who aren’t able to do that receive a mandatory sentence of six months of GPS monitoring and a maximum of up to five years in prison.

Weather

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed

 

MAIN AREA MIDDLE drop zone ⇩

Trending on NewsNation

MAIN AREA BOTTOM drop zone ⇩

tt

KC Chiefs parade shooting: 1 dead, 21 shot including 9 kids | Morning in America

Witness of Chiefs parade shooting describes suspect | Banfield

Kansas City Chiefs parade shooting: Mom of 2 dead, over 20 shot | Banfield

WWE star Ashley Massaro 'threatened' by board to keep quiet about alleged rape: Friend | Banfield

Friend of WWE star: Ashley Massaro 'spent hours' sobbing after alleged rape | Banfield

Clear

la

52°F Clear Feels like 51°
Wind
4 mph NNW
Humidity
49%
Sunrise
Sunset

Tonight

Clear skies. Low 48F. Winds light and variable.
48°F Clear skies. Low 48F. Winds light and variable.
Wind
4 mph NNW
Precip
0%
Sunset
Moon Phase
Full Moon