Access Essex County Sex Offenders

Essex County sex offenders are tracked through the New York State Sex Offender Registry run by the Division of Criminal Justice Services. The Essex County Sheriff's Office in Lewis handles local sex offender monitoring and works with DCJS to keep the registry current. You can look up Level 2 and Level 3 sex offenders in Essex County online at no cost, or call 1-800-262-3257 for Level 1 sex offender info. This page covers how to search for sex offenders, contact the sheriff, and understand the registration rules that apply in Essex County.

How to Search for Sex Offenders in Essex County

The NYS Sex Offender Registry search page is the main way to find sex offenders in Essex County. The search costs nothing. It works at any hour. Select "Essex" from the county dropdown to pull up all Level 2 and Level 3 sex offenders registered there. Each entry shows photos, home address, conviction info, and vehicle details.

Level 1 sex offenders are not in the online directory. The law keeps them off the public site. To check if a specific person is a Level 1 sex offender in Essex County, call 1-800-262-3257. Have the person's name and at least one other piece of info ready: an exact address, date of birth, driver's license number, or Social Security number. Phone staff are on hand from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays.

You can also visit the Essex County Sheriff's Office to ask about sex offenders near you. The staff can access the subdirectory on-site and help you look up records. This is a good path for residents in the Adirondack region who want direct help with a search.

Essex County Sheriff's Office

The Essex County Sheriff's Office sits at 702 Stowers Hill Road, Lewis, NY 12950. The main phone number is 518-873-6600. The sheriff's office handles sex offender monitoring, law enforcement, and jail operations for Essex County. Staff work with DCJS to track sex offenders who live, work, or go to school in the county.

Essex County covers a large stretch of the Adirondack Park. The rural nature of the county means the sheriff's office is the primary law enforcement body for most towns and hamlets. When a Level 3 sex offender moves into an Essex County community, the sheriff's office carries out the community notification process. Schools, daycare centers, and places of worship in the area are told about the sex offender's presence under Correction Law Article 6-C.

The Essex County Jail is run by the sheriff's office. For questions about sex offenders in your area, call during business hours or stop by. The office can tell you who is on the registry near your home and what risk level they carry. If you want ongoing updates, the office can point you to the NY-ALERT system.

Sex Offender Risk Levels in Essex County

A judge assigns a risk level to every sex offender after a court hearing. The judge scores the offender on the type of crime, the victim's age, whether force was used, and the offender's criminal history. The score produces a Level 1, 2, or 3 rating.

Level 1 is low risk. Address is limited to ZIP code. Registration lasts 20 years unless the offender has a special designation. Level 2 is moderate risk. Full address is public. Level 3 is high risk. Full address is public, and these sex offenders must show up every 90 days at the Essex County Sheriff's Office to verify their address. The online subdirectory shows Level 2 and Level 3 sex offenders only.

A court can also designate an offender as a sexual predator, sexually violent offender, or predicate sex offender. Any designation means lifetime registration. All Level 2 and Level 3 sex offenders register for life under SORA. Level 1 sex offenders with no designation register for 20 years.

SORA and Essex County Sex Offenders

New York's Sex Offender Registration Act is found in Correction Law Article 6-C, Section 168. SORA requires sex offenders convicted of certain crimes in New York to register with the state. It also covers people convicted in other states, under federal law, or in military courts if the crime matches a New York registerable offense. SORA took effect on January 21, 1996.

Under SORA, a sex offender who moves to Essex County must update their registration within 10 days. Changes in internet accounts and email addresses must also be reported within 10 days. Failure to register or update info is a class E felony for the first offense and a class D felony for later offenses. It can also be grounds for revoking parole or probation.

SORA gives the public the right to know about sex offenders in their communities. For Level 3 sex offenders, the law requires active community notification. For Level 2 sex offenders, law enforcement can share info with entities that serve vulnerable groups. For Level 1 sex offenders, the public can only get info through the toll-free phone line. These rules apply the same way in Essex County as in every other county in the state.

How Sex Offender Registration Works in Essex County

Registration starts at conviction. The court certifies the defendant as a sex offender and sends the paperwork to DCJS. DCJS enters the data and sends it to the Essex County Sheriff's Office if the person will live in the county.

For sex offenders leaving jail or prison, the timeline stretches out. The Board of Examiners of Sex Offenders is notified at least 120 days before release. The Board recommends a risk level to the court 60 days out. The court holds a hearing and sets the level at least 30 days before release. The facility registers the offender at least 15 days before release and sends the form to DCJS at least 10 days before. Correction Law Section 168-l(8) makes clear that a missed deadline by any agency does not erase the offender's duty to register.

Probation cases work faster. The court registers the sex offender at sentencing. A risk level hearing comes at least 45 days later. The DA makes a recommendation at least 15 days before the hearing. Parties often agree to hold the hearing at sentencing to keep things moving.

Sex Offender Alerts for Essex County

You can sign up for free alerts through NY-ALERT. Get an email, text, or phone call whenever a Level 2 or Level 3 sex offender moves into or out of a location you care about in Essex County. Track up to three spots. Register at the NYS Sex Offender Registry site. Level 1 sex offenders are not part of the alert system. The service has been active since March 2010.

Contact Info for Essex County Sex Offender Inquiries

Use these contacts for sex offender questions in Essex County.

• Essex County Sheriff: 518-873-6600
• Address: 702 Stowers Hill Road, Lewis, NY 12950
• DCJS toll-free: 1-800-262-3257
• DCJS main: 518-417-3384
• DCJS email: SORRequests@dcjs.ny.gov

The DCJS contact page has full details for the state registry. The registry FAQ covers questions about registration duration, risk levels, and what happens if a sex offender fails to comply.

Nearby Counties

Essex County is in the Adirondack region of northern New York. Several neighboring counties share borders and similar rural law enforcement structures.