To search the registry, at this time, you can search on either the North Carolina Sex Offender and Public Protection Website or Sex Offender Watch. Catawba County will be discontinuing the Sex Offender Watch service on October 1, 2008.

Effective October 1, 2008, the Catawba County Sheriff's Office's Sex Offender Information and Notification System will redirect you to the North Carolina Sex Offender and Public Protection Registry website.  The State site has all of the features you are accustomed to, as well as additional features which will allow you to perform enhanced inquiries.   If you registered to receive e-mail alert notification from Sex Offender Watch on the Sheriff's Office site, you must register again on the State site to receive e-mail notifications.  Visit http://ncfindoffender.com/  to update your bookmarks, signup for email alerts or search for registered sex offenders in your community.  As always we appreciate your support and will continue to find ways to better serve the citizens of Catawba County.

Sex Offender Registration and Public Protection File was enacted by the North Carolina Session of the general Assembly (NCGS 14-208.5 - 14-208.13 and became effective January 1, 1996. The law was amended to comply with the Federal Law and changes were effective April 1, 1998.

The purpose of the Sex Offender Registration file is to assist local law enforcement efforts to protect their communities by requiring both sex offenders and sexually violent predators to register. This information will be used by local law enforcement to protect their communities, conduct investigations and quickly apprehend offenders who commit sex offences and certain offences against a minor. This file also provides for public access to information about offenders who are required to register and facilitates exchange of information between the public and law enforcement officials.

The following is a list of offenses that require registration:

1. First Degree Rape
2. Second Degree Rape
3. First degree Sexual Offense
4. Second degree Sexual Offense
5. Attempted first degree Rape (Class F Felony)
6. Attempted first degree sexual offense (Class F Felony)
7. Attempted second degree rape (Class H Felony)
8. Attempted second degree sexual offense (Class H Felony)
9. Intercourse and sexual offenses with certain victims; consent no defense
   (Defendant has assumed the position of parent in the home of minor victim having custody of a victim of any age who is an agent or employee of any person or institution having custody of the victim)
10. Incest between near relatives
11. Employing or permitting a minor to assist in offense under article
12. First degree sexual exploitation of a minor
13. Second degree sexual exploitation of a minor
14. Third degree sexual exploitation of a minor
15. Promoting prostitution of a minor
16. Participating in prostitution of a minor
17. Taking indecent liberties of a minor
18. Kidnapping of a minor *
19. Abduction of Children *
20. Felonious restraint of a minor *

* These offenses only apply as long as the individual committing the offense is not the minor's parent or legal custodian.