RICHMOND — The Virginia Department of Corrections (VADOC) filed for 11 probation violation warrants following Halloween night compliance checks on sex offenders under VADOC community supervision.
The VADOC is working with its law enforcement partners on arrests of the 11 supervisees subject to the warrants. Five warrants were filed in the VADOC’s Central and Eastern regions, and one warrant was filed in the Western Region.
These compliance checks were part of Halloween safety plans carried out by the VADOC’s Probation & Parole districts to keep trick-or-treaters safe.
District offices and the Sex Offender Programs and Monitoring Unit (SOPMU) collaborated with the Virginia State Police Sex Offender Investigative Unit and participating local law enforcement members to remind sex offenders under community supervision about their expectations for behavior on Halloween.
All sex offenders under supervision were instructed not to decorate their homes or hand out candy. Additionally, all probation & parole districts established curfews for sex offenders on Halloween and conducted home contacts at random. Sex offenders who live in jurisdictions hosting fall festivals for children were instructed not to attend these events.
District probation & parole offices and the SOPMU also checked on the sexually violent offenders under their supervision, especially those with minor victims.
“Our agency saw overwhelming compliance in total from our sex offender supervisees, besides the 11 outlying cases that resulted in warrants,” said VADOC Director Chad Dotson. “I want to thank our corrections team members and law enforcement partners for their tireless work and dedication to keeping children safe, both on Halloween night and every night.”
The VADOC’s probation & parole officers enhance public safety by helping probationers and parolees lead more pro-social lives and assist those who have been incarcerated to transition back into society after release. More information about community supervision at the VADOC can be found on the Department’s website.
