County to warn 30 sex offenders

The Cape Girardeau County prosecutor is preparing letters warning 30 convicted sex offenders that they either must move farther away from schools and day-care centers or prove they lived at their residence before Missouri's sex offender law went into effect on Aug. 28, 2004.

A recent investigation by the Cape Girardeau County's Sheriff's Department found that 30 offenders in the county live within 1,000 feet of a school or day care. The sex offenders are within their rights to stay at their current address if they lived there before the law was enacted. However, they will be required to move if they can't prove that was the case.

According to state law, any person convicted of a sexual crime involving a child is not allowed to live within 1,000 feet of a licensed school or day-care center.

Soon, each of the 30 sex offenders can expect to receive hand-delivered letters from the sheriff's department, Lt. David James said. Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle is drafting the letters.

Swingle is conducting research into how long the offenders have to provide proof once they receive the letter, how long they have to move and the penalties for failing to do so. The sheriff's department and the prosecutor will decide on the grace period.

"We just don't want to prosecute people who might say they didn't know," Swingle said. "We want to give them a reasonable time to move."

The law covers grades 12 and under, exempting colleges and universities. At least two registered sex offenders live within 1,000 feet of Southeast Missouri State University, according to addresses provided by the online sex offender list for Cape Girardeau County.

Under ordinary circumstances, it is a class D felony for a sex offender to move near a school or day care. The crime carries a punishment of up to four years in prison. Subsequent violations are class B felonies that carry up to 15 years in prison.

Convicted sex offenders are required by law to register with the sheriff's department within 10 days of moving into any county in Missouri. James maintains the online list of registered sex offenders for the county. He recently added a feature that allows site visitors to click on the address and view a map of the offender's location, he said.

Currently, about 125 registered sex offenders live in Cape Girardeau County.

jmetelski@semissourian.com