SHELBY COUNTY, Tenn. — Halloween is just days away, and the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office needs your help finding dozens of sex offenders running from the law.
Deputies blasted more than 30 mug shots on social media, and WREG is showing them to you again in hopes of catching them and ensuring your child’s safety during Trick-or-Treating.
Parents were unnerved to hear about the wanted sex offenders. They said Halloween presents an enticing opportunity for sex offenders, because the number of kids knocking on strangers’ doors.
“Kids are out there all weekend long, because Halloween is actually Monday,” said Earle Farrell with the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office.
All weekend deputies will work to nab those on their list.
The rules have been tightened too.
Sex offenders aren’t allowed to place Halloween decorations outside their homes, answer the door to trick or treaters, pass out candy or dress in costumes.
If any sex offender does that, Farrell said they’ll go to jail.
“That’s all you have to do is violate any facet of that,” he said.
Parents said they’ll run a tight ship too.
“As a parent, you do all you can do and tell them all you know to tell them,” said parent Luella Taylor.
Taylor is proud to say nothing ever happened to her children on Halloween.
Her best advice: keep a watchful eye on your kids.
“I see on TV sometimes they’ll say, ‘It’s 10:00. Do you know where your child is?’ I knew were mine was,” said Taylor.
Once you’ve mapped out your Trick or Treat route, go to the sex offender registry to find out if any sex offenders live on that route.