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The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office has raised concerns over what it is calling a “loophole” in the sex offender registry law when it comes to transient offenders. The sheriff’s office is responsible for enforcing the Nebraska Sex Offender Registry Act, per state law, and the DCSO Community Action Team routinely completes compliance checks in the county. “We’ve had many cases in which our Community Action Team has come across known sex offenders living in tent encampments,” Sheriff Aaron Hanson said. “We get tips on where people are, or where they say they, they’re staying somewhere, and then they’re actually staying somewhere else,” DCSO Deputy Doyle Spagnola said. “So, just go in and check on them compliance checks.”Per state law, there are different tiers to the registry that dictate how frequently a registered offender must check in:15-year offenders report once a year25-year offenders report every six months Lifetime offenders report every three months However, the lead SOR investigator at the DCSO, Spagnola, said those guidelines are different if you are registered as transient, no matter the tier. “You’re telling the state, any law enforcement, you’re telling us you don’t have any home you’re staying. You’re staying at a bus stop. You’re staying at a, a campground,” Spagnola said. “What it does is requires you to come in every 30 calendar days.”While registered offenders are required to tell the sheriff’s office their home address, Spagnola said those who register as transient do not have to give a specific location. “Technically, if they’re staying anywhere that isn’t like a home, they’re transient, and they’re not breaking any law at that point in time,” Spagnola said. Without an address, Spagnola said it’s difficult for their team to complete compliance checks. “We try to narrow it down,” Spagnola said. “Some people are forthcoming with that information, and other, other people push back on it.””Because they’ve listed themselves as transient, they can pick up their whole tent and move the next day,” Hanson said. “There’s very limited enforcement options that we have available.”Spagnola and Hanson said it’s something they’re concerned about. “I think that they’re taking advantage of a loophole in state law,” Hanson said. “I think it’s worth looking at the current state law to see if we can tighten up that loophole.”The DCSO said it becomes an even larger issue if the offender has absconded, meaning they have missed their check-in date. As of January 2026, the sheriff’s office said there were 1,604 registered sex offenders in Douglas County. Of those, 77 are registered as transient, and 23 of those transient offenders have absconded. “We’re serious about protecting innocent, vulnerable people in our community from the sex offenders who have a concerning high recidivism rate,” Hanson said. Hanson said they want the community informed about what is happening and who is potentially living near them, so they launched a new website page. The page shows the name and photo of each registered transient offender in the county and allows people to submit tips if they know anything. “We want concerned citizens to look at it, know who the transient sex offenders are in our community,” Hanson said. “If you see these individuals in your neighborhood, if they are living next door to you, next door to you and your kids and you know they’re living someplace, but they’ve reported as being transient, we want to know that because we will send our investigators out to follow up and hold them criminally accountable if, in fact, they’re lying.”The website is not a permanent solution, and Hanson said legal change needs to happen. “State law should be tightened up where they have to report to us exactly where they’re stating, even if it is in a tent behind an elementary school or in a car in a car dealership,” Hanson said. Currently, there are no bills introduced in the Legislature to address the sheriff’s office’s concerns. Make sure you can always see the latest news, weather, sports and more from KETV NewsWatch 7 on Google Search.NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Local News | National | Sports | Newscasts on demand |
The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office has raised concerns over what it is calling a “loophole” in the sex offender registry law when it comes to transient offenders.
The sheriff’s office is responsible for enforcing the Nebraska Sex Offender Registry Act, per state law, and the DCSO Community Action Team routinely completes compliance checks in the county.
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“We’ve had many cases in which our Community Action Team has come across known sex offenders living in tent encampments,” Sheriff Aaron Hanson said.
“We get tips on where people are, or where they say they, they’re staying somewhere, and then they’re actually staying somewhere else,” DCSO Deputy Doyle Spagnola said. “So, just go in and check on them [in] compliance checks.”
Per state law, there are different tiers to the registry that dictate how frequently a registered offender must check in:
- 15-year offenders report once a year
- 25-year offenders report every six months
- Lifetime offenders report every three months
However, the lead SOR investigator at the DCSO, Spagnola, said those guidelines are different if you are registered as transient, no matter the tier.
“You’re telling the state, any law enforcement, you’re telling us you don’t have any home you’re staying. You’re staying at a bus stop. You’re staying at a, a campground,” Spagnola said. “What it does is requires you to come in every 30 calendar days.”
While registered offenders are required to tell the sheriff’s office their home address, Spagnola said those who register as transient do not have to give a specific location.
“Technically, if they’re staying anywhere that isn’t like a home, they’re transient, and they’re not breaking any law at that point in time,” Spagnola said.
Without an address, Spagnola said it’s difficult for their team to complete compliance checks.
“We try to narrow it down,” Spagnola said. “Some people are forthcoming with that information, and other, other people push back on it.”
“Because they’ve listed themselves as transient, they can pick up their whole tent and move the next day,” Hanson said. “There’s very limited enforcement options that we have available.”
Spagnola and Hanson said it’s something they’re concerned about.
“I think that they’re taking advantage of a loophole in state law,” Hanson said. “I think it’s worth looking at the current state law to see if we can tighten up that loophole.”
The DCSO said it becomes an even larger issue if the offender has absconded, meaning they have missed their check-in date.
As of January 2026, the sheriff’s office said there were 1,604 registered sex offenders in Douglas County. Of those, 77 are registered as transient, and 23 of those transient offenders have absconded.
“We’re serious about protecting innocent, vulnerable people in our community from the sex offenders who have a concerning high recidivism rate,” Hanson said.
Hanson said they want the community informed about what is happening and who is potentially living near them, so they launched a new website page. The page shows the name and photo of each registered transient offender in the county and allows people to submit tips if they know anything.
“We want concerned citizens to look at it, know who the transient sex offenders are in our community,” Hanson said. “If you see these individuals in your neighborhood, if they are living next door to you, next door to you and your kids and you know they’re living someplace, but they’ve reported as being transient, we want to know that because we will send our investigators out to follow up and hold them criminally accountable if, in fact, they’re lying.”
The website is not a permanent solution, and Hanson said legal change needs to happen.
“State law should be tightened up where they have to report to us exactly where they’re stating, even if it is in a tent behind an elementary school or in a car in a car dealership,” Hanson said.
Currently, there are no bills introduced in the Legislature to address the sheriff’s office’s concerns.
Make sure you can always see the latest news, weather, sports and more from KETV NewsWatch 7 on Google Search.
NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Local News | National | Sports | Newscasts on demand |
