Hamilton County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office

The Hamilton County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office is dedicated to effectively representing the citizens of Hamilton County, its governmental agencies and elected officials as authorized by the laws of the state of Ohio.

Sexual Offender Unit

Administrator/Sexual Offender Unit
Ernest Lee
(513) 946-3234
Ernest.Lee@hcpros.org
Fax : (513) 946-3210

The Sexual Offender (SO) Unit of the Office of the Hamilton County Prosecuting Attorney has a diverse legal mandate.  The SO Unit, consisting of a full-time assistant prosecuting attorney and an investigator, assists the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Department in their efforts monitor the registration duties and residences of approximately 1600 registered Sex Offenders, Child-Victim Offenders, Arson Offenders and Violent Offenders in Hamilton County.

The SO Unit reviews all criminal prosecution referrals from the Sheriff’s Department and prosecutes offender registration violations from Grand Jury to Final Disposition.  The SO Unit also works collaboratively with other State, Local and Federal Law Enforcement Agencies to monitor and prosecute registered offenders.  Additionally, the SO Unit defends all legal challenges any offender may bring regarding the offender’s duty to comply with registration laws.

The SO Unit, with the assistance of Hamilton County Prosecuting Attorney’s Investigators, enforces the state-mandated residency restrictions which preclude certain registered sex offenders from living within 1000 feet of a school or daycare.  Registered sex offenders must have their registered address approved by the Hamilton County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office Sex Offender Unit to ensure offenders are not in violation of state-mandated residency restrictions. Our office is responsible for approving all addresses anywhere in Hamilton County, except for the City of Cincinnati, City of Norwood, City of Reading or the Village of Golf Manor.  These municipalities enforce their own sex offender residency restrictions.  Upon notice that a registered sex offender has moved within 1000 feet of a school or daycare, the SO Unit notifies the offender that he or she is in violation of the state-mandated residency restrictions and therefore must relocate.  If the offender fails to comply after notice, the SO Unit files a legal action for a court order to require the offender to relocate to a place where he or she can lawfully reside.