Zavala County Sheriff's Office deputies arrested a man on a sex offender registration charge after checking registered offenders across the county ahead of Halloween, the sheriff's office said. The checks were made Monday, Oct. 26, as part of what the office called "Operation Trick or Track." The effort was meant to prepare for trick-or-treating in Crystal City, La Pryor and Batesville, the office said. It focused on registration compliance and on the restrictions that apply during Halloween.
During one check, Jason Avila admitted he had not reported an online identifier as required by law, according to the sheriff's office. He was taken into custody Tuesday, Oct. 27, for failure to comply with sex offender registration requirements, a third-degree felony. The sheriff's office said a charge is only an allegation and that all persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Under Texas law, people required to register as sex offenders must report online identifiers, such as email addresses and social media usernames, to the law enforcement agency where they are registered. Families can search the Texas Department of Public Safety sex offender registry at publicsite.dps.texas.gov/SexOffenderRegistry to see registered offenders near their trick-or-treating route.