Deputies conduct sex offender sweep in King County

KING COUNTY, Wash. — Deputies and detectives with the King County Sheriff’s Office tracked down accused and convicted sex offenders in the area throughout Saturday.

KIRO 7 Eyewitness News followed deputies all over King County as they closed in on an accused sex offender in the morning.

According to deputies, the 26-year-old sex offender was at his home and under surveillance for days. The man was wanted by the state of Arizona for leaving the state where he was accused of raping a teenager.

KIRO 7 reporter Stacy Sakamoto spoke with a neighbor of the man who said he had no idea the man he was living next to was accused of a sex crime.

“I mean, for safety for the community too. You know, we were worried about my wife and my daughter. I mean it’s kind of a scary deal,” Ron Pereira said. “He seemed all right. He came over to get a dog one day in the backyard and I talked to him up at the house with his dad, his parents. Seemed like a normal person.”

Another sex offender was also arrested in Federal Way during the round-up. According to the sheriff’s office, the 46-year-old man failed to register as a sex offender which is required by law.

“Unfortunately for this individual, he stopped doing that several months back. So, through a lucky break, we were able to locate somebody who knew him,” said Todd Underwood with the King County Sheriff’s Office.

Underwood and his partner picked the man up in a Walmart parking lot.

“Lots of hours of work at the desk. Lots of research, things like that just to get these guys, but it’s worth it. Satisfying,” Underwood said.

On Saturday afternoon, deputies arrested a substitute teacher accused of possessing child porn. According to the sheriff’s office, the man has been charged but was not in custody.

KIRO