Operation Overwatch: 5 sex offenders arrested

HOUSTON COUNTY, Ga. — Five registered sex offenders were arrested Monday due to a joint law enforcement operation known as “Operation Overwatch,” an effort organized by Houston County DA William Kendall, with contributions by the DA’s Office, the Houston County Sheriff’s Office and the State Department of Community Supervision.

According to a media release from the DA, Operation Overwatch targeted known sex offenders within the county who may have been in violation of their probation sentence conditions.

“It’s important for convicted sex offenders who choose to make Houston County their home to know that — in this community — we will fully and consistently enforce every requirement of their sex offender probation and registration … with this show of force through Operation Overwatch, it is our hope that sex offenders see that they cannot take the conditions of their freedom for granted, even for an instant,” DA William Kendall said.

Kendall recognized the collaborative work of the Department of Community Supervision, HCSO Warrants Division, HCSO Juvenile Division, K-9 Officer Jobi as well as the DA’s Office staff.

The operation required several weeks of planning and intelligence gathering from local Community Supervision officers alongside Sgt. Tim Leonard of the Houston County Sheriff’s Office.

The targeted offenders included people with offenses such as Child Molestation and Statutory Rape. Following the compilation of a target list, probation searches commenced throughout the morning and evening of Nov. 21, and the target areas included several residences in Warner Robins, Perry, Bonaire and Haynesville.

K-9 Officer Jobi of the HCSO Juvenile Division assisted in the searches, specializing in the detection of electronic devices potentially containing child pornography or other illegal material.

Personnel found weapons, drugs, pornography, hidden smartphones and other items that constituted violations of the sex offender registry conditions.

Charges stemming from the five arrests include Possession of Marijuana, weapons charges, Violation of Probation and more. Following forensic digital analysis of the seized cell phones, more arrests are expected to come.

HHJ News