COLUMBIA COUNTY, Fla. — 17 sexual offenders and predators were arrested in Columbia County following a four-day multi-agency enforcement operation. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement says the sweep was conducted to verify compliance with state registration requirements for offenders living in the area.
The operation involved inspectors and agents from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office and the Lake City Police Department. They were joined by the Florida Department of Corrections and the State Attorney’s Office for the Third Judicial Circuit. During the four-day sweep, law enforcement members made contact with 264 suspects and conducted verification interviews for each registrant.
13 sexual offenders and four sexual predators were arrested during the operation. Those arrested face various charges, including failure to report changes in residence, vehicles, email addresses, employment and internet identifiers.
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One of the individuals apprehended was 63-year-old David Alan Schwab. Schwab, a sexual offender, was arrested on an outstanding warrant from Outagamie County, Wisconsin. All suspects were booked into the Columbia County Jail and Schwab is currently awaiting extradition back to Wisconsin.
During the compliance checks, investigators identified eight subjects who had moved from their registered addresses and failed to report their new addresses.
The individuals arrested as sexual predators include Burley Kirkland, 50; Kenneth Brian Curry, 56; Geoffrey Paul Olin, 42; and Jason Gregory Oliver, 46.
Thirteen other men were arrested as sexual offenders during the four-day sweep. They are Clinton Lee Bond, 41; David Lopez Rios, 53; Alvin Deshon Davis, 53; Eugene Scott Viola, 55; James Eric Cauthon, 53; Lawrence Hassebroek, 66; William James Rouse, 41; Kenneth Aubrey Hunter, 48; Richard Johnathan Simmons, 43; Vincent Sperando Jr., 73; Steve Ellis Sawyer, 62; Randy Rober Stokes, 46; and Paul Calvin Gunter, 42.
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Florida registration laws require offenders and predators to report a wide range of personal data to their local sheriff’s office. This includes residential addresses, telephone numbers, vehicle details, internet identifiers, photographs, passports and conviction records.
Residents can monitor the Florida Sex Offender Registry by using the FDLE mobile application. The registry is also available for public search on the Florida Department of Law Enforcement website, HERE.
The State Attorney’s Office for the Third Judicial Circuit will prosecute the cases. Schwab will be extradited to Wisconsin to face his outstanding warrant.
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