Teams of U.S. Marshals and Maricopa County probation officers checked on registered sex offenders in the Valley this Halloween night.
The goal was to ensure that registered sex offenders did not hand out candy, have Halloween decorations outside or porch lights on, U.S. Marshal Dustin Ray said.
“We're going after the individuals who have been convicted of a child sex crime,” Ray said of the Marshals’ priority for running checks on Halloween.
Trick-or-treaters marched down streets near sex offenders’ homes during an ABC15 ride along.
Neighborhoods were a study in contrasts. Registered sex offenders’ homes were dark and uninviting while neighbors showcased jack-o-lanterns or threw Halloween parties. And that’s the idea, Ray said.
"We want to make sure that the kids are safe and as far away as they can be from these individuals,” Ray said.
ABC15 has created an interactive map of sex offenders who live in the Valley, using data obtained from the Arizona Department of Public Safety.
