Grant County Sex Offenders
Grant County sex offender records are maintained by the Grant County Sheriff's Office and the Arkansas Crime Information Center. If you need to find a registered sex offender in Grant County, the ACIC public registry tool lets you look up Level 3 and Level 4 offenders by name, address, or zip code. This page covers how registration works locally out of Sheridan, what the four risk levels mean, the residency rules that apply in the county, and how to search the public database.
Grant County Sex Offenders Overview
Search Sex Offenders in Grant County
The public registry for Grant County sex offenders is run by the Arkansas Crime Information Center. Search it at ark.org/offender-search by name, county, city, or zip code. Each result includes the offender's current home address, a recent photo, vehicle details, and information about the offense. The tool is free and open to the public with no account required.
Only Level 3 and Level 4 sex offenders appear on the public website. Level 1 and Level 2 registrants are not visible to the general public. If a name doesn't appear in the search, that person may be at a lower risk level, may have left Grant County, or may no longer be required to register. The public tool is not a complete list of all registered sex offenders in the county. Law enforcement can view all four risk tiers through a separate restricted system.
These upgrades allow the Grant County Sheriff's Office and other local agencies to confirm offender locations and update registry information more efficiently than before.
Grant County Sheriff and Sex Offender Registration
The Grant County Sheriff's Office in Sheridan handles all local sex offender registration. Any person living in Grant County who is required to register must report to the Sheriff's Office to complete registration. The office uses the CENSOR system to process registrations electronically and submit data directly to ACIC. Contact the Sheriff's Office before your first visit to confirm hours and any appointment procedures.
CENSOR, or the Centralized Electronic Network of Sex Offender Registries, allows the Grant County Sheriff's Office to register sex offenders and push all information directly to the state database without paper forms. At every check-in, officers take a new photo with a web camera. That photo is sent to the public registry immediately. The system also tracks address changes, vehicle updates, and verification scheduling.
The 6th Judicial Circuit Court serves Grant County and handles all felony sex offense cases. At sentencing, the court orders registration and informs the offender of their obligations. Conviction records are forwarded to ACIC for entry into the statewide database.
Note: Contact the Grant County Sheriff's Office in Sheridan before arriving to register. Confirm current hours and whether an appointment is required.
Registration Requirements for Grant County Sex Offenders
Anyone convicted of a qualifying sex offense must register in Grant County if that is where they live, work, or go to school. Ark. Code Ann. § 12-12-901 et seq. governs all registration requirements statewide and covers crimes ranging from rape and sexual assault to internet stalking of a child and computer child pornography. The law has been amended multiple times since 1997 and is more strict now than it was at the start.
Offenders arriving in Grant County from another state must register within three business days of establishing residency. The same deadline applies to those released from prison or moving from another county. Required documents include valid ID, proof of address, court sentencing papers, all vehicle information, and every online account and screen name used by the offender. Failing to meet the three-day deadline is a separate felony charge.
Nonresident workers and students must register too. Working or attending school in Grant County for more than fourteen consecutive days, or thirty total days in a calendar year, triggers registration with the local sheriff's office. This applies even if the person lives in a different county or state. Registration is based on physical presence for work or school, not on where you sleep at night.
Sex Offender Risk Levels in Grant County
Every registered sex offender in Grant County goes through a risk assessment done by SOSRA, the Sex Offender Screening and Risk Assessment unit. SOSRA is based at 2403 E. Harding Ave. in Pine Bluff, AR 71611, phone (870) 850-8429. The process includes a review of criminal history, a recorded interview, possible polygraph testing, and psychological evaluation tools. The assigned level determines how often the offender must check in and how much the community is told about them.
Arkansas community notification regulations under Megan's Law define each of the four risk tiers in detail. Level 1 is low risk. These offenders show no prior sexual history and no predatory patterns. They do not appear on the public website. Level 2 is moderate risk. Schools and nearby organizations may be notified at law enforcement's discretion. Level 3 is high risk. Neighbors must be notified directly through face-to-face contact and printed fact sheets. Level 4 is sexually violent predator status. Law enforcement can use media alerts, public meetings, and posters for this group.
Any offender who skips the SOSRA interview or refuses to cooperate is defaulted to Level 3 or referred for Level 4 review. Reassessment is available after five years, but the offender covers the cost and must complete a polygraph.
The risk level assigned in Grant County affects where an offender can live, how often they must report to the Sheriff's Office, and what neighbors and schools are told about them.
Residency Restrictions in Grant County
Level 3 and Level 4 sex offenders in Grant County cannot live within 2,000 feet of any public or private elementary or secondary school, or any daycare facility. The Eighth Circuit upheld Arkansas's residency restriction in Weems v. Little Rock Police Department, finding it does not infringe on any fundamental right. The buffer is measured from the school or daycare property line, not from the building.
A limited exception exists for offenders who owned and occupied a home before the school or daycare opened, or before July 16, 2003. That exception is void if the offender commits any new qualifying offense after that date. Violating the restriction is a Class D felony. Level 1 and Level 2 offenders are not subject to the 2,000-foot rule in Grant County.
Note: Level 3 and Level 4 sex offenders in Grant County must maintain at least 2,000 feet from any school or daycare property. Violating this is a Class D felony under Ark. Code § 5-14-128.
Check-In and Compliance for Grant County Offenders
Registered sex offenders in Grant County must appear in person at the Sheriff's Office at intervals set by risk level. Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 offenders report every six months. Level 4 sexually violent predators must appear every three months. None of these visits are optional. Missing a scheduled appointment is a violation that can result in felony charges.
At each visit, officers take a new photo, update any changed information, and confirm current address and employment details. The photo is pushed directly to the public registry through the CENSOR system. Officers may also conduct unannounced address checks between regular appointments. Any change in residence, work, or vehicle information must be reported immediately. Do not wait until the next scheduled check-in to report a change.
Planned address changes require ten days advance notice to both ACIC and the Sheriff's Office. Sudden changes due to fire or natural disaster must be reported within three days. Name changes must be reported within five calendar days. Failing to follow any of these rules is a separate Class C felony under Arkansas law.
Removing a Name from the Registry in Grant County
Some sex offenders registered in Grant County can petition for removal from the registry after meeting specific requirements. Under Ark. Code Ann. § 12-12-919, a petition cannot be filed until fifteen years after release from prison or the start of parole or probation. The court must find the person has committed no new sex offense and does not pose a threat to public safety.
The petition must be served on the prosecuting attorney, the ACIC Sex Offender Registry, and the Community Notification Assessment unit at least thirty days before the hearing. Victims who have opted into VINE notifications may attend and speak. If the court denies the petition, the applicant must wait three years before filing again. Certain offenses carry lifetime registration with no removal option.
ACIC removes a name only after receiving a valid court order. There is no automatic removal based on time alone without going through the court process.
Nearby Counties
Grant County is in Central Arkansas and borders several counties in the region. Each county handles sex offender registration through its local sheriff's office.