Sheriff keeps tabs on sex offenders

This is in response to Mr. Rudisill’s questions and statements about sex offenders in Pettis County. I am the officer in charge of sex offenders and take your statements very personally. The sheriff cannot be there 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Each employee has different jobs assigned and one of my jobs is to make sure sex offenders are in compliance with state laws. I work very hard to keep track of who the sex offenders are and where they live.

Rudisill was concerned about sex offenders being locked up in the jail, when his concern should be the ones on the street. The sex offenders in Pettis County that are non-compliant have warrants for their arrest.

Mr. Bond did not ask for overtime from the County Commission to do spot checks because it is part of the job the deputies do. I have spot checks done on the offenders all the time. Doing a spot check on Russell Bartley and finding out he was not where he was supposed to be is what led to a warrant for his arrest. He was not able to be located sooner because he was in either St. Louis or Kansas City. He was picked up due to the warrant for non-compliance and the Sedalia Police Department was able to detain and question him about the rape.

The citizens of Pettis County are more than welcome to call or come to our office with any questions they have in reference to sex offenders. I have concerned citizens call me regularly and a lot of my help comes from those calls.

Officer Vicki Houseman
Pettis County Sheriff’s Office