Attorney General Mike DeWine
DeWine Announces Increased Funding for Law Enforcement to Apprehend Wanted Sex Offenders

(COLUMBUS, Ohio) -- Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine today announced that the maximum reimbursement amount available to agencies extraditing wanted sex offenders has increased from $2,000 to $3,000. 

"The increased reimbursement amount will enable local law enforcement to extradite absconded, non-compliant sex offenders who may be located across the state or across the country," said Attorney General DeWine.  "The capture of these offenders allows law enforcement to better protect Ohio's families and sends the message that noncompliance will not be tolerated." 

County sheriffs, county prosecutors, and other law enforcement agencies can use the funding for expenses such as overtime, lodging, airfare, parking, car rental and other transportation costs. 

The reimbursement is paid for through a Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering and Tracking (SMART) grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ).  The Attorney General's Office asked the DOJ to increase the reimbursement amount available to local law enforcement to apprehend out-of-state and out-of-county sex offenders. 

Reimbursements are available until March 31, 2014, or until funds are exhausted.