Checking Up On Sex Offenders This Halloween

Law enforcement is cracking down on sex offenders this Halloween. Corrections officers will be driving around tomorrow night, making sure criminals are following some ground rules. The Tennessee Department of Corrections says that registered sex offenders aren't allowed to have any fall decorations or wear costumes, and they have to stay inside between 5 p.m. and 5 a.m. on Halloween night.While officers will be doing their own patrolling, we did some investigating of our own. We checked up on nearly a dozen sex offenders Tuesday. Officers are sure to be a little bit busier with more than 500 sex offenders in Hamilton County alone.We found the occasional front-porch pumpkin. One was at the address listed for Edward Vales. We knocked on the door, but it turns out, he doesn't live here. "My nephew needed a place to call home. He's incarcerated. He's in men's prison. He'll be there for about 8 years. He's been accused of sexually molesting," said Deirdre Akin, Vales' aunt.Akin says the 20-year-old plead guilty to conspiracy to commit aggravated rape 2 years ago. She says she wasn't aware of the no-decorating policy, but says being festive isn't a big deal to her anyway. "It's been years since we've had trick-or-treaters here and I've lived here for 6 years."Meanwhile, it was 10 years ago that 74-year-old Carl Fairchild was accused of trying to rape a child. His home has plenty of decorations, but none that are considered seasonal.With more than 20 registered sex offenders within a 2 mile radius of NewsChannel 9's newsroom, parents may want to check out where their kids are trick-or-treating. Family Watch Dog is a useful website. Just choose your state and type in your zip code to find any sex offenders near your home.The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation also has a sex offender registry.If you live in Georgia, head over to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation's website.If offenders aren't in compliance with the laws, they could face additional charges for violating probation or parole.By Natalie Jenereski