By Cherrie Anne E. Villahermosa
Variety News Staff

THE Department of Public Safety has conducted home visits to gather information and register known sex offenders in the CNMI — which so far total 104.
The sex offender registry unit, which is under the Criminal Investigation Bureau, conducted home visits from March 7 to 10.
The unit’s officer-in-charge, Sgt. Thomas Blas Jr., said there are a total of 104 sexual offenders listed in the registry.
He said the 104 are residing in the CNMI and they are required by Public Law 11-104 to register on a quarterly basis with the Department of Public Safety and the probation and parole office.
DPS said offenders who are on probation and or under parole conditions are registered with the probation and parole office.
After their probation and or parole conditions have expired, they remain registered for the rest of the minimum 10-year period with DPS.
The sex offender registry unit for the first quarter of calendar year 2007 visited 27 sex offenders. This is done on a quarterly basis and is for the purpose of updating information about the offenders.
Blas said the 27 sex offenders were the first batch to be registered again for this year.
Of the 27 sex offenders, six were not at their houses or have relocated without notifying the sex offender registry unit.
DPS said four of the 27 sex offenders who had appointments with the unit did not call to reschedule their registration date or show up at the Criminal Investigation Bureau office.
DPS said 17 sex offenders came in and registered as sex offenders as scheduled.
DPS is still conducting home visits and looking for the sex offender registry clients who have failed to come in and register as required.
DPS said CIB officers are also working on making contact and identifying the rest of the remaining 77 sex offenders.
DPS urges those registered sex offenders to update their profiles and to call the sex offender registry unit at 664-9042 or 664-9045.