Milwaukee Co. Sheriff's Office: 12 registered sex offenders arrested during trick-or-treat hours

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) --The Sheriff’s Office conducted its annual “Operation Trick or Treat” initiative on Sunday.

The Sheriff’s Office partnered with the Wisconsin Department of Corrections (DOC) Probation and Parole, US Marshals and DA investigators, to ensure that sex offenders in Milwaukee County complied with DOC guidelines prohibiting interaction with trick-or-treaters.

During trick-or-treat hours on Sunday, the law enforcement partners conducted checks on 220 registered sex offenders. Twelve sex offenders were arrested for felony violations of their probation and parole conditions. Acting Sheriff Schmidt said, “the annual initiative is effective and combines the resources of multiple law enforcement agencies to target offenders who, when given an opportunity, prey on the children in our community.”

Some of the violation details were:

• Electronics violations (6 subjects)

• Children’s items in residence (3 subjects)

• Weapons violation (bayonet and knives)

• Contact with 14-year-old (1 subject)

The Sheriff’s Office Halloween mission was to provide a safe haven for children as they go door to door collecting candy from residents. The Sheriff’s Office will continue to locate and arrest sex offenders who refuse to comply with their probation and parole conditions.