Sheriff’s Office to put fliers on doors of registered sex offenders and check on them Halloween night to make clear state law prohibits them giving candy to kids; Parents should keep minors from homes with the flier

St. Bernard Sheriff’s Detective Lt. Richard Mendel places a flier on the door of a registered sex offender in October 2011 to remind them they are prohibited by law from giving out candy or gifts to minors on Halloween.

This is the flier St. Bernard Parish sheriff’s deputies are placing on the door of all 74 registered sex offenders in the parish, reminding them state law doesn’t let them give minors candy or gifts on Hallooween. Sheriff James Pohlmann said.parents or escorts of treat-or-treaters shouldn’t let yougsters go to a door bearing the flier on Halloween.

St. Bernard Parish Sheriff James Pohlmann said all convicted, registered sex offenders in the parish will get a visit from sheriff’s deputies before Halloween and again on that night. And it won’t be to give them a trick-or-treat.

A flier will be placed on the door of all registered sex offenders starting Thursday, Oct. 25, to remind them, Sheriff Pohlmann said, that under state law they can’t distribute candy or other gifts to persons under the age of 18 at Halloween, Mardi Gras, Easter, Christmas or any other holiday for which candy is often given out to minors.

The flier says no candy can be given at that door.

Pohlmann said, “We will also have deputies out the night of Halloween making compliance checks to ensure minors aren’t at the doors of sex offenders and being given candy.” If the person who is a registered sex offender is seen mingling with children at their door they will be arrested.’

“This is something we take seriously,’’ the sheriff said. “The law is there to protect minors from coming in contact with a registered sex offender at their home, in the guise of them giving them something.”

He said violators of the law shall be sentenced to a term in prison of not less than six months and up to three years.

Sheriff Pohlmann also said parents or escorts walking with minors as they trick-or-treat should make sure children avoid residences where fliers may be posted saying candy isn’t being given out there.

St. Bernard currently has about 70 registered sex offenders living in the parish. “Every parish has registered sex offenders and parents should be aware of this,’’ the sheriff said.

He said no law says a flier like the one the Sheriff’s Office puts out each Halloween has to be left on a door by the resident throughout Halloween night.

But Sheriff Pohlmann said he would prefer a registered sex offender did keep the flier on their door “for their benefit as well as for the benefit of minors,’’ because they will be arrested if a deputy passes back on Halloween and they are mingling with children at their door.

Compliance checks by the Sheriff’s Office also make sure the registered sex offender is living at the address they last gave to authorities when they either moved into the parish or changed their address.

Pohlmnn said the OffenderWatch program on registered sex offenders across Louisiana informs the public where the offenders live in neighborhoods and gives information on their convictions. The information can be found on the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Web Site at www.sbso.org or on the Louisiana State Police Web Site. The local site is maintained in St. Bernard Parish by Detective Capt. Jeff Roderfeld.