Federal marshals go door-to-door in Iowa to check sex offenders' status

Many Iowa sex offenders who need to register their address got a knock on the door this year.  In fact, federal authorities along with county and local officers checked on a total of 1,745 sex offenders in half of Iowa.  And some who lied about where they live now face more charges.

U.S. Marshals and local law enforcement conducted the Sex offender Tracking And Registration (STAR) effort in 52 counties that make up the federal Northern District.  This compliance check was a first in the nation and accounted for every registered offender in the district which basically covers Iowa from Interstate 80 north.

Federal authorities found the vast majority of offenders living where there were supposed to be.  Out of the 1,745 total, only 155 gave a false address.  That's a non-compliance rate of just 8.8 percent.  So far, authorities have brought either state or federal charges against 63 of the violators.

Authorities announced the results of the unusual, and thorough, tracking effort at a news conference Monday morning.  Tim Junker, U.S. Marshal for the Northern District, said once offenders realized federal agents were involved, they got the message officers are serious about keeping track of people.

“Some of them were like, 'oh crap, I better be careful.  They are checking on me, paying attention for violations.  I thought it was just these state guys.  Now I've got to stay where I'm supposed to stay and do what I have to do,'” Junker said.

Other surveys of Iowa sex offenders put estimates of non compliance at much higher than the nine percent found in the Northern District of Iowa.  Junker said because this is a first for the Marshals service, he doesn't know what other federal districts would find.

Junker said one common problem occurrence with those giving a false address was renting a motel room, for example, as a legal address-but actually living with a girlfriend or in other circumstances that didn't comply with federal rules.

Normally, sheriff's departments in Iowa counties take responsibility for tracking the whereabouts of registered sex offenders.  But Junker said this wasn't a one-time thing, and the Marshals service may do it again.

-- Dave Franzman, KCRG-TV9