ATLANTA — A statewide sweep involving 87 Georgia sheriffs led to the arrest of 48 sex offenders and the issuance of 235 warrants during the 10th annual Operation Watchful Eye. The week-long initiative, conducted September 22-29, focused on verifying the residences of registered sex offenders and ensuring they are complying with state registration laws.
Operation Watchful Eye began in 2015 as the first coordinated statewide effort to conduct residence verifications and compliance checks during a specific period. Due to its success, sheriffs have made it an annual operation.
By law, sheriff’s offices are required to register sex offenders and keep the public informed of where they live, work, and attend school. Deputies routinely verify offenders’ addresses throughout the year, but Operation Watchful Eye brings a concentrated, collective effort across Georgia.
This year’s sweep involved deputies working alongside U.S. Marshals, probation officers, and parole officers to ensure compliance. Preliminary reports show there are nearly 14,000 registered sex offenders living in the counties that participated, including 625 predators and 667 who are homeless.
Over the course of the week, deputies carried out more than 9,600 residence checks. In that time, 81 new offenders moved into the reporting counties. Authorities issued 118 warrants for residency violations, 60 for other registry law violations, seven for new sex offenses, and 50 for other charges.
Perhaps most concerning, investigators found that 684 offenders had absconded from their last known address, requiring additional efforts to track them down, according to the Georgia Sheriff’s Association.
Northeast Georgia
Sheriff’s offices across Northeast Georgia joined the statewide sweep, including those in Stephens, White, and Jackson counties.
In Stephens County, deputies conducted 75 residence verifications during the week-long operation. Officials reported 91 registered sex offenders living in the county, eight of whom are classified as predators. Eleven are currently incarcerated. No new warrants were issued, though one new offender was added to the registry.
In White County, deputies carried out 93 compliance checks. The sheriff’s office reported 75 registered offenders, including five predators and one homeless offender. Two pre-existing absconders remain on record. During the operation, deputies issued one warrant for a violation of the sex offender registry and three warrants for new, non-sex-related charges. They also executed an additional warrant on unrelated charges.
The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office also participated, working with the Department of Community Supervision to conduct checks. Sheriff Kevin McCook said Jackson County has 168 registered sex offenders, including seven predators and six who are homeless. Deputies attempted 216 residence verifications and reported no absconders. No warrants were issued for residency or registry violations, and no new sex offenses were reported. One warrant was executed for unrelated charges discovered during the checks, and no new offenders registered during the operation.
Habersham County did not participate in the operation this year, according to sheriff’s office spokesperson Rob Moore.
Once-a-year check. Year-round monitoring.
The Georgia Sheriffs’ Association emphasized that while Operation Watchful Eye is conducted once a year, local sheriff’s offices verify offender residences year-round. Officials encouraged the public to remain vigilant and to use resources such as the Georgia Sex Offender Registry to stay informed.
“As Halloween approaches, parents and guardians are urged to check the registry and know who lives in their area,” the White County Sheriff’s Office noted in its report.
For more information about offenders in your community, visit the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s Sex Offender Registry at gbi.georgia.gov/georgia-sex-offender-registry. Residents of Stephens County can also download the Stephens County Sheriff mobile app, and White County residents can check listings through the community notification website.
