Search Nassau County Sex Offenders

Nassau County sex offenders are tracked through the NYS Division of Criminal Justice Services registry and monitored locally by the Nassau County Police Department.

How to Find Sex Offenders in Nassau County

The fastest way to search for sex offenders in Nassau County is through the NYS Sex Offender Registry online subdirectory. This free tool lets you look up Level 2 and Level 3 sex offenders by last name, county, or ZIP code. Select "Nassau" from the county list and the site returns all public offenders in the area. Each result shows photos, home address, conviction details, and vehicle info. The search runs around the clock at no cost.

Level 1 sex offenders are not in the online database. To check if someone is a Level 1 offender in Nassau County, you must call the registry at 1-800-262-3257. You need the person's name plus one identifier such as an exact address, date of birth, driver's license number, or Social Security number. Staff take calls from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays.

You can also contact the Nassau County Police Department for local sex offender info. The department works directly with DCJS to track offenders and handle community notifications for Level 2 and Level 3 sex offenders in the county. Walk-in requests can be made at police headquarters.

Nassau County Police Department

The Nassau County Police Department is the primary law enforcement agency that handles sex offender monitoring in the county. Unlike most New York counties that use a sheriff's office, Nassau County relies on its police department for this work. The department is one of the largest in the state and serves a population of over 1.3 million residents across Long Island.

• Address: 1490 Franklin Avenue, Mineola, NY 11501
• Emergency: 911
• Non-Emergency: 516-573-7000

Officers at the department verify sex offender addresses, conduct home checks, and carry out community notification duties as required by Correction Law Article 6-C. When a Level 3 sex offender moves into a neighborhood, the department notifies schools, daycare centers, and community organizations in the area. Nassau County has a significant number of registered sex offenders, which keeps the department busy with compliance checks and address verification throughout the year.

The department coordinates with DCJS on all registry matters. If an offender fails to register or misses an address check, the police department can file charges. Failure to comply with registration is an E felony for the first offense and a D felony for any repeat violation.

Sex Offender Risk Levels in Nassau County

Every sex offender in Nassau County gets a risk level set by a judge after a court hearing. The judge uses a point system that looks at factors like use of force, victim age, number of victims, drug or alcohol use, and criminal history. The score places the offender into one of three levels.

Level 1 is low risk. These offenders register for 20 years unless they carry a special designation. Their address is limited to ZIP code only in public records. Level 2 means moderate risk. Full address is public. Level 3 is high risk. Full address is public and these offenders must go to the police department every 90 days to verify where they live in person.

On top of risk levels, a judge can add designations. A sexual predator, sexually violent offender, or predicate sex offender designation means lifetime registration regardless of the base risk level. All Level 2 and Level 3 offenders register for life. A Level 2 offender with no designation who has been on the registry for at least 30 years may petition the court for relief under Correction Law Section 168-o.

How SORA Works in Nassau County

The Sex Offender Registration Act, or SORA, is the state law that governs sex offender registration in Nassau County and the rest of New York. It sits in Correction Law Article 6-C, Section 168 et seq. The law has been in effect since January 21, 1996.

SORA requires sex offenders convicted of certain offenses to register with the state. It covers New York convictions, out-of-state convictions that match a New York registerable offense, and federal or military convictions. In Nassau County, the Nassau County Court and the Supreme Court of Nassau County handle SORA risk level hearings. The Nassau County District Attorney makes risk level recommendations to the court.

For offenders going to jail or prison, the Board of Examiners of Sex Offenders gets notified at least 120 days before release. The Board sends a risk level recommendation to the court 60 days before the person gets out. The court holds a hearing and sets the level at least 30 days before release. For probation cases, the process is faster. The court registers the offender at sentencing and holds a risk level hearing at least 45 days later.

Community Notification in Nassau County

Nassau County residents can sign up for free alerts through the NY-ALERT system. This service sends notifications by email, text, fax, or phone call whenever a Level 2 or Level 3 sex offender moves into or out of a location you choose. You can pick up to three locations by county, ZIP code, municipality, or specific address. Many people in Nassau County register their home address, their workplace, and a child's school.

When a Level 3 offender moves into a Nassau County neighborhood, the police department is required by law to notify nearby entities that serve vulnerable populations. That includes schools, daycare centers, summer camps, places of worship, nursing homes, community centers, and neighborhood watch groups. Level 2 offenders trigger a more limited notification that goes to entities with vulnerable populations, but not the general public.

The department also keeps sex offender data available at the precinct level. Residents can visit their local precinct to view the subdirectory of Level 2 and Level 3 offenders.

Sex Offender Internet Rules

All sex offenders in Nassau County must report their internet accounts, email addresses, and screen names to DCJS. This rule comes from the Electronic Security and Targeting of Online Predators Act, signed into law in 2008. Changes to internet info must be reported within 10 days. Failure to report is a felony.

DCJS can share this info with social networking sites that have users under 18. Those sites can then remove offenders or flag accounts. Sex offenders convicted of crimes against minors, or those who used the internet to commit their offense, face mandatory internet restrictions as a condition of probation or parole. All Level 3 offenders under supervision in Nassau County face these restrictions too, no matter what their crime involved.

Where Sex Offenders Can Live in Nassau County

SORA does not set statewide residency buffer zones for sex offenders. Nassau County cannot create its own restrictions either. The New York Court of Appeals ruled in People v. Diack that local governments lack the power to add sex offender residency rules because the state has fully occupied that area of law.

The Sexual Assault Reform Act does bar certain offenders from knowingly entering school grounds or living within 1,000 feet of a school when the victim was under 18 or the offender is Level 3. Offenders on parole or probation may also have case-specific conditions set by their supervising officer, like staying away from parks or playgrounds. But those conditions vary from case to case and are not part of any blanket county law.

Cities and Towns in Nassau County

Nassau County contains several large towns with their own sex offender monitoring needs. Each town relies on the Nassau County Police Department for sex offender tracking, with some communities also having their own local police presence.

Nearby Counties

Sex offenders sometimes move between counties. If you need to search other areas near Nassau County, use the links below to check neighboring county pages.