Calhoun County annual family violence roundup

Sherrif Larry Amerson

  Calhoun County deputies arrested more than a dozen people during the 12th annual National Family Violence Apprehension Detail.  Sheriff Larry Amerson said the nationwide event began in Clackamas County, Oregon, and is an effort to serve outstanding family and domestic violence warrants through a sweep or round up.  Calhoun County deputies also carried warrants for sex offenders found to be in non-compliance with their registration.

Deputies and U.S. Marshals recently did compliance checks on every registered sex offender in Calhoun County, to see if they were living where they are registered and if the conditions are in line with the law.

Investigators found about 40 of the 400 people for whom the sheriff's office keeps records were in violation, which the sheriff said is a big number at one time.

Two teams of four deputies showed up on door steps of suspects in domestic cases, and at homes where they believed some of the non-compliant registered sex offenders live.

People at one Anniston house told deputies the man they were looking for was in California and hadn't been in the county in months.  When investigators mentioned the suspect got a new Alabama ID at the beginning of the month, deputies said a woman confessed he was in the back of the house.

He went to jail for failing to pay $34,500 in outstanding child support from a previous case.

As of 4 p.m. Wednesday, there were 13 people in custody for a total of 15 charges.  Deputies will continue to search for the people who have outstanding warrants.