Sex Offenders in Highland County, Virginia

Highland County is Virginia's least populous county, but the same Virginia State Police sex offender registry that covers the rest of the state applies here too. The search is free and open to anyone. Results show each offender's name, current address, photo, and offense details. This page covers how to search the Highland County sex offender registry, how the Highland County Sheriff's Office handles registration and compliance, and what Virginia law requires of anyone registered here.

Search the Highland County Sex Offender Registry

The Virginia State Police operates the Sex Offender and Crimes Against Minors Registry for all of Virginia, including Highland County. The main search portal is at sex-offender.vsp.virginia.gov/sor. An alternate portal is available at vspsor.com. Both access the same central database. No fee. No account required.

To search for offenders in Highland County, enter zip code 24465, which covers the Monterey area. You can also search by name or enter a street address with a radius in miles. Given the county's small size and low population, only a handful of offenders are typically registered here. Highland County has approximately 5 to 10 registered sex offenders at any given time. Each listing shows the person's current address, photo, date of birth, and the offense that triggered the registration requirement. The database updates each business day.

Questions about specific listings or compliance concerns can go to the Virginia State Police Sex Offender Registry unit at (804) 674-2825 or sor.vsp@vsp.virginia.gov.

Highland County Sheriff's Office

The Highland County Sheriff's Office is located at 165 West Main Street, Monterey, VA 24465. The phone number is (540) 468-2210 and fax is (540) 468-2477. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Sheriff Ronald W. Brownfield leads the department. As the primary law enforcement agency in Virginia's least populous county, the Sheriff's Office handles all registration services in-house with no separate police department in the county seat.

All sex offenders required to register in Highland County do so through the Virginia State Police system. The Sheriff's Office is the local contact point for initial registrations and address updates. New offenders who move into the county must come in person. The office processes registrations during business hours. Emergency calls go through 911 at any time.

Because Highland County is small and rural, the Sheriff's Office has a close working relationship with neighboring county and state law enforcement agencies. Compliance checks may involve coordination with the Virginia State Police or neighboring counties when an offender's whereabouts are unclear or when a field check requires backup. The Sheriff's Office refers all non-compliance cases to the Commonwealth's Attorney for prosecution.

The Sheriff's Office also handles court security for the Highland County Courthouse in Monterey, civil process services, and 911 dispatch. These combined duties are common in small rural counties where a single agency covers all law enforcement functions.

The Highland County Sheriff's Office in Monterey manages all sex offender registration services for the county and coordinates compliance with the Virginia State Police statewide registry system.

Virginia Sex Offender Registration Requirements

Virginia's sex offender registration law is in Virginia Code Title 9.1, Chapter 9. Three tiers exist based on offense type. Tier I offenders register once per year for 15 years. Tier II offenders register once per year for 25 years. Tier III offenders register every 90 days for life.

A person convicted of a qualifying offense must register within three days of release from custody or, if no jail time was ordered, within three days of sentencing. Address changes must be reported within three days. New email addresses or online usernames must be reported within 30 minutes. The full statute is available at law.justia.com/codes/virginia/title-9-1/chapter-9.

Failing to register is a Class 1 misdemeanor for Tier I and Tier II offenders. For Tier III, failure is a Class 6 felony. Tier III offenders also face location limits and may not live, work, or loiter within 500 feet of any school or daycare in Virginia.

Note: Registration requirements are the same in Highland County as in every other Virginia county. The rural setting does not change what the law requires of registered offenders.

What the Registry Shows for Highland Offenders

Each listing in the Virginia Sex Offender Registry shows the person's full legal name, current home address, date of birth, a photo from the most recent registration, and the offense behind the registration requirement. The entry also shows the tier level and next check-in date.

With so few registered offenders in Highland County, the public registry for this area is brief. But each entry carries the same level of detail as entries for more populous counties. Transient offenders show a general location rather than a fixed address. If an address seems outdated, it may indicate that the person failed to file a required update, which is a violation. Report concerns to the VSP at (804) 674-2825.

The National Sex Offender Public Website (NSOPW) covers all 50 states. If someone moves into Highland County from another state, NSOPW can confirm whether they had a prior registration elsewhere before the move. Search is free and open to the public.

Highland County Circuit Court

The Highland County Circuit Court in Monterey handles all felony sex offense cases in the county. Sentencing orders from this court set the registration requirement and tier for each offender. Court records are open to the public during business hours. Copies cost $0.50 per page. Juvenile sex offense records are sealed from public view. The Clerk's Office also maintains protective orders issued by the court.

Case records for Highland County courts can be searched through the Virginia Courts system at vacourts.gov. You can look up charges and dispositions by name or case number. The circuit and general district courts are both covered.

Petitions for removal from the sex offender registry after the required period are filed here. The Commonwealth's Attorney receives notice and may oppose removal. Given the small number of cases in this county, each petition receives individual attention.

Additional Resources

The Virginia State Police SOR alternate portal provides a backup access point to Highland County registry data. The Virginia State Police also keep a supplemental registry for pre-1994 convictions that may not appear in the main database.

For residents of Highland County who need legal assistance related to sex offender registration laws, Virginia Legal Aid and the court-appointed public defender system can provide guidance. Given the county's remote location, legal aid may be available by phone or through regional offices in nearby Bath or Augusta counties.

Highland County's Sheriff's Office at 165 West Main Street, Monterey, processes all sex offender registrations for the county and can answer questions about the registration process and how to access the state registry.

Nearby Counties

Registry pages for counties bordering Highland County are available on this site. Each uses the same Virginia State Police statewide database for searches.