Starke County Sex Offender Registry
Starke County manages its sex offender registry through the Starke County Sheriff's Office in Knox using the OffenderWatch platform, which connects directly to the Indiana statewide system and gives residents free access to current offender information. Every registered sex or violent offender in Starke County must report any change to their address, workplace, or school enrollment within 72 hours, and the sheriff's office has a dedicated registry coordinator who handles all local registration matters.
Starke County Sex Offender Registry
Starke County Sheriff and Registry Coordinator
The Starke County Sheriff's Office is at 5435 E State Road 8, Knox, IN 46534. Sheriff Jack Rosa leads the department. Main phone: (574) 772-3771. Fax: (574) 772-7641 for the main office; (574) 772-2443 for the jail.
The sex offender registry has a dedicated coordinator: Kenneth Tomasko. If you have a registration question, need to report a change, or want to confirm whether an offender is currently registered, you can reach him directly by email at ktomasko@starke.in.gov. This direct contact option is useful for both offenders who need to register and members of the public who have compliance concerns.
The Starke County Sheriff's Office website lists registry forms and other resources. The sheriff's office uses the OffenderWatch system for all local registration data. The public search portal is accessible through iCrimeWatch Indiana, which pulls its data directly from OffenderWatch.
Starke County also maintains an anonymous tip line at (574) 772-5958. The sheriff's office uses this line to collect reports on illegal drug activity, suspects on active warrants, and unregistered sex offenders. Unregistered sex offenders are one of the major enforcement priorities cited by the sheriff's office. Tips can be left anonymously at any hour.
How to Search the Starke County Registry
The best way to search for sex offenders in Starke County is through iCrimeWatch Indiana. This free public portal is powered by the same OffenderWatch database that the Starke County Sheriff's Office uses to manage registrations. You can search by name, city, ZIP code, or street address. No fee and no account are required to run a basic search.
The Starke County Sheriff forms page also has registry-related resources, including forms that offenders may need to complete for registration or address changes. Check this page if you are unsure what paperwork is required before visiting the sheriff's office.
For a multi-state search, the National Sex Offender Public Website lets you search across all U.S. states and territories from one place. This is the right tool if you want to check a person who has lived in Indiana and other states.
The Indiana Sheriffs' Association also maintains a resource page on the statewide registry. Their site explains how OffenderWatch works, what information is publicly available, and how residents can sign up for notifications when offenders move into their area.
Indiana's Zachary's Law and Local Requirements
Zachary's Law, found at IC 11-8-8, has governed Indiana sex offender registration since January 1, 2003. The law was named for Zachary Snider, a child from Cloverdale, Indiana who was murdered by a registered sex offender. It establishes who must register, what they must report, how often they must check in, and what happens if they fail to comply.
Any person convicted of a qualifying sex or violent offense must register with the county sheriff where they live within 72 hours of release from incarceration. They must also register within 72 hours of moving to Indiana from another state, or within 72 hours of any change to the information already on file. This includes changes to home address, work address, school enrollment, vehicles, and certain online identifiers.
Starke County sits in northwest Indiana. Many residents commute to LaPorte, Marshall, or Jasper counties for work. An offender who works in a different county than where they live must register in both counties if they are principally employed there. The same rule applies to school enrollment. The 72-hour window runs from the start of that new employment or enrollment.
Registration Fees
Indiana allows sheriffs to collect registration fees. Contact the Starke County Sheriff's Office at (574) 772-3771 or email Kenneth Tomasko at ktomasko@starke.in.gov to confirm the current fee amount and accepted payment methods before your appointment. Fee requirements and acceptable payment types can change, so it is worth checking ahead of time.
Who Must Register in Starke County
Indiana law lists specific offenses that require sex offender registration. These include rape, criminal deviate conduct, child molesting, sexual misconduct with a minor, exploitation of a child, and voyeurism offenses where the victim is under 18. Some violent offenses that do not involve a sexual act also trigger registration requirements.
People convicted out of state who move to Starke County must register with the Starke County Sheriff if their offense would require registration under Indiana law. The rule applies even if the person has already completed their registration obligation in the state where they were convicted. Indiana looks at the nature of the offense, not just the other state's determination.
People convicted of federal offenses must also register under Indiana law if they reside, work, or go to school in Starke County. Federal convictions are treated similarly to out-of-state convictions: if the offense matches a qualifying Indiana offense type, registration is required.
The Indiana Department of Correction maintains records on who is subject to registration requirements and can provide guidance on specific offenses and their registration implications in Indiana.
Registration Duration and Check-In Frequency
Most sex offenders register for 10 years. The period starts from the date of release from incarceration, or from the conviction date if no time was served. If an offender violates registration rules during this period, the 10 years can restart or extend depending on the nature of the violation.
Sexually violent predators must register for life. They must also verify their registration four times per year, every 90 days, by appearing in person at the Starke County Sheriff's Office. Standard registrants appear once a year for their annual verification appointment.
Homeless offenders, or those who do not have a fixed address, must report to the Starke County Sheriff every seven days. This frequent check-in requirement keeps the registry accurate when someone is moving between locations or staying temporarily with different people. If you are unsure whether you qualify as transient for purposes of this rule, confirm with Kenneth Tomasko at the sheriff's office before your next reporting date.
Residency Restrictions
Indiana law bars registered sex offenders from living within 1,000 feet of a school, public park, or youth program center. This rule applies across the entire state, including Starke County. The distance is measured from the nearest property line of the restricted location to the offender's home.
Sex offenders must also stay more than one mile away from their victim's residence. This restriction lasts for the full registration period. If a victim moves to a new address that puts them within one mile of the offender's home, the offender may need to relocate.
Starke County is a smaller rural county. Knox, the county seat, is the main population center. Many properties in the county are in unincorporated areas, which can sometimes make the 1,000-foot restriction less of a factor than in urban counties. However, offenders should confirm their address is compliant before signing a lease or purchasing property. The sheriff's office can help identify whether a specific address falls within a restricted zone.
What the Registry Listing Includes
Each offender record in the Starke County registry shows the person's full name, photo, date of birth, and current home address. The listing also includes physical details such as height, weight, hair and eye color, and any identifying marks. The offense that triggered registration appears along with the conviction date and the originating court or jurisdiction.
The listing shows whether the offender is an SVP and whether they are currently in compliance with their registration requirements. Compliance status is one of the most important data points in the listing because it tells you whether the offender has been keeping their information current.
Registry data is provided by the Starke County Sheriff's Office and updated in the OffenderWatch system. The information reflects what the sheriff has on file at the time you search. If you believe an offender's listed address is wrong, contact Kenneth Tomasko at ktomasko@starke.in.gov or call the tip line at (574) 772-5958 to report it.
The Starke County Sheriff's Office uses OffenderWatch to manage the local registry, which feeds into the statewide system shown below.
All Starke County registration data is part of Indiana's statewide OffenderWatch network, which is searchable for free through iCrimeWatch Indiana.
Email Alerts and Notifications
Free email alerts are available to all Starke County residents through the OffenderWatch platform. When a registered offender moves into or out of a geographic area you specify, the system automatically sends a notification to your email address. There is no charge for this service.
To set up alerts, go to iCrimeWatch Indiana and create a free account. Enter the addresses you want to monitor, set the notification radius, and save your preferences. The system will send an alert any time offender data changes within your monitoring zone. You can set alerts for multiple locations from one account and adjust them at any time.
Community organizations, churches, schools, and other groups can also use the alert system to monitor activity near their facilities. The service is available to any member of the public, not just individual residents.