Polk County Sheriff’s Office deputies and Florida Department of Corrections probation officers conducted a Halloween sexual offender/predator compliance initiative and probation checks for the weeks leading up to, and on, October 31, 2025. The operation was aimed at ensuring compliance with Florida’s registration laws for convicted sex offenders and sex predators (FSS 775.21 & FSS 943.0435) within Polk County* and probationers complying with their regulations.
There are 1,431 Sexual Offenders, 158 of whom are sexual predators, registered in Polk County. These offenders and predators are checked every quarter by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office to ensure they are in compliance with Florida’s sexual offender/predator registration laws. The state requires checks at least once a year.
During the weeks leading up to Halloween, 140 offenders/predators were contacted and checked for compliance with probation conditions and sexual offender/predator registration laws; 14 sexual offenders or predators were arrested, and two warrants were served out-of-state, for failure to comply with registration laws; another 16 offenders or predators were arrested for probation violations.
Sexual offenders/predators on probation are supervised by the Department of Corrections, and their probation stipulates they are prohibited from engaging in Halloween activities such as having contact with children, distributing candy/treats, or having Halloween decorations.
On Halloween, detectives and probation officers confirmed the compliance of 348 offenders and predators, and made 297 searches.
“I am proud of our deputies and probation officers for their hard work to ensure that these sex offenders and predators are complying with their court-mandated registrations and requirements. This is time consuming, but absolutely necessary. Our simple message is this — if you’ve been placed on the sex offender/predator registry, we will keep track of you, and we will hold you accountable for any violations, period.” – Grady Judd, Sheriff
16 Arrests/warrants for failure to comply
• Terrell Denson (9/2/1973) – Sexual predator arrested for failure to comply with sexual predator registration laws. He is required to report all changes in employment within 48 hours and failed to do so. Denson is designated a sexual predator based on prior convictions for sexual battery on a child under 12 years old. He has several prior convictions for failure to properly register as a predator.
• Mario Smith (10/5/1975) – Sexual predator arrested for failure to comply with sexual predator registration laws. He failed to maintain his FL driver’s license (it was suspended) and failed to report his residence. Smith was convicted of sexual battery on a child between 12-15 years old in 2003, and convicted of producing/directing/promoting sexual performance by a child in 2015. He has a prior conviction for failure to comply with sexual predator registration laws.
• Travis Thompson (12/2/1982) – Sexual predator arrested for failure to comply with sexual predator registration laws. In September, he failed to report his new permanent residence to the FL DHSMV within 48 hours, as required. Thompson was convicted of sexual battery on a child between 12-15 years old, sending harmful material to a minor, use of a computer to seduce a child, and has prior convictions for failure to comply with sexual predator registration laws.
• Hardey Albritton (11/20/1980) – Sexual offender arrested for two counts of failure to comply with sexual offender registration laws. He failed to report to the Sheriff’s Office that he had vacated his permanent residence and was registering himself as “transient” and failed to report to the FL DHSMV to register the same. Albritton was convicted in Virginia in 2002 for aggravated sexual battery and has lifetime sexual offender registration requirements in VA and FL.
• Charles Denson (12/22/1980) – Sexual offender arrested for 2 counts failure to comply with sexual offender registration laws. Denson failed to register a vehicle within 48 hours and provided false registration information. Denson was convicted in 1999 for lewd and lascivious molestation of a child under 16 years old.
• Moises Rodriguez (1/27/1949) – Sexual offender arrested for 2 counts failure to comply with sexual offender registration laws. He failed to complete mandatory sexual offender registration during two different months in one year, and failed to report an active social media account. Rodriguez was convicted in 2020 for offender using coercion to commit commercial sexual activity.
• Jule Vandoorn (6/6/1972) – Sexual offender arrested for failure to comply with sexual offender registration laws. He failed to report two different residences to the FL DHSMV. Vandoorn was convicted in 2010 for lewd and lascivious sexual battery on a victim between 12-15 years old. He has a prior conviction for failure to comply with sexual offender registration laws.
• James Hutchins (11/26/1947) – Sexual offender arrested for failure to comply with sexual offender registration laws. He failed to complete his quarterly registrations. Hutchins was convicted in 2006 for sexual battery on a victim under 12 years old and has prior convictions for criminal solicitation of a child under 12 years old.
• Elmer Hayes Jr. (4/7/1973) – Sexual offender arrested for 2 counts failure to comply with sexual offender registration laws. He failed to report an active social media account within 48 hours of activating it and failed to report it on several mandated registrations. Hayes was convicted in 2000 for lewd and lascivious molestation of a child between 12-15 years old.
• Larry Jones (1/30/1952) – Sexual offender arrested for 2 counts failure to comply with sexual offender registration laws. Jones is registered in Illinois as a sexual offender. He failed to report to FL and IL authorities his new FL address within the required time frames for both states’ registration laws. Jones was convicted in 1972 in Illinois for murder and rape.
• Bugsianta Williams (7/1/1972) – Sexual offender arrested for 4 counts failure to comply with sexual offender registration laws. He failed to register four social media accounts, and his new phone number. Williams was convicted in 2005 in Louisiana for indecent behavior with juveniles, and has previous convictions in Lake Co and Polk Co (FL) for failure to comply with registration laws.
• Joseph Sifonte (4/26/1984) – Sexual offender arrested for 3 counts failure to comply with sexual offender registration laws. He failed to register four vehicles with the FL DHSMV. Sifonte was convicted in 2012 for traveling to meet a minor for sex.
• Leon Leffingwell (4/30/1970) – Sexual offender arrested for failure to comply with sexual offender registration laws. He failed to register a social media account. Leffingwell was convicted in 2002 in Indiana for child molestation.
• Joseph Gambrell (3/14/1964) – Sexual offender arrested for 3 counts failure to comply with sexual offender registration laws. He reported living at a residence in close proximity of schools or daycares, which is prohibited. Detectives spoke with people living there, who had no idea he had used their address – they confirmed he has never lived there. He has been living at a different residence, which he has never reported to authorities. Gambrell was convicted in 2007 for lewd and lascivious exhibition on a victim under 16 years old.
Two other sexual offenders, Kenneth Russell and Elijah Cannon, were found to have failed to comply with sexual offender registrations laws, both of whom are in jails in other states – warrants were served charging them accordingly.
16 Arrests for violation of probation
• Tommy Carrera (10/25/1967) – He was designated a sexual offender based on a 2017 conviction for lewd and lascivious battery on a victim between 12-15 years old. He violated his probation by failing a drug screen.
• Allen Hunter (5/20/1963) – He was designated a sexual predator based on a 2002 conviction for lewd and lascivious molestation of a victim between 12-15 years old. He violated his probation by possessing pornography.
• William Kenna (9/6/1977) – He was designated a sexual offender based on a 2019 conviction for unlawful sex with a minor. He violated his probation by having unregistered internet identifiers.
• Peter Murphy (12/17/1992) – He was designated a sexual offender based on a 2017 conviction for use of a computer to lure a child for sex, and soliciting a child for sex. He violated his probation by having unregistered internet identifiers.
• Juan Rojas (3/24/1984) – He was designated a sexual offender based on a 2017 conviction for use of a computer to lure a child for sex, and soliciting a child for sex. He violated his probation by having unregistered internet identifiers.
• Clarence Williams (5/16/1969) – He was designated a sexual offender based on a 2010 conviction for produce/direct/promote sexual performance by a child and he has a prior conviction for failure to comply with sex offender registration laws. He violated his probation by having unregistered internet identifiers.
• Donald Brown (2/27/1943) – He was designated a sexual predator based on a 2013 conviction for sexual battery of a victim under 12 years old. He violated his probation by having unregistered internet identifiers.
• Thomas Clingerman (2/27/1943) – He was designated a sexual offender based on a 2010 conviction for lewd and lascivious battery on a victim between 12-15 years old. He violated his probation by failing to follow officers’ instructions.
• Jose Ortega (8/30/1994) – He was designated a sexual offender based on a 2024 conviction for traveling to meet a minor for sex. He violated his probation due to having an out-of-county warrant.
• Joseph Little (9/24/1967) – He was designated a sexual offender based on a 1990 conviction for child molestation. He violated his probation by failing a drug test and has a prior conviction for failure to comply with sex offender registration laws.
• Brian Mitchell (5/23/1988) – He was designated a sexual offender based on a 2021 conviction for lewd and lascivious battery on a victim between 12-15 years old. He violated his probation for viewing pornography and by having unregistered internet identifiers.
• Antron Pompey (1/15/1985) – He was designated a sexual offender based on a 2003 conviction for lewd and lascivious molestation of a chld under 16 years old and false imprisonment of a minor. He violated his probation by having unregistered internet identifiers. He has prior convictions for failure to comply with sex offender registration laws.
• Michael Levieux (8/27/1968) – He was designated a sexual offender based on a 1996 conviction for criminal sexual assault. He violated his probation by failing to register his cell phone and email address. He has prior convictions for failure to comply with sex offender registration laws.
• Jeffrey Brown (11/10/1972) – He was designated a sexual offender based on a 2022 conviction for lewd and lascivious molestation of a victim under 12 years old. He violated his probation by having unregistered internet identifiers and failing to register a vehicle.
• Oscar Gauntlett (9/21/1955) – He was designated a sexual offender based on a 2015 conviction for lewd and lascivious conduct against a victim under 16 years old. He violated his probation by having unregistered internet identifiers.
• Eric Olson (6/29/1995) – He was designated a sexual offender based on a 2021 conviction for solicit/possess/view child pornography. He violated his probation by having unregistered internet identifiers.
Several of these VOP arrests are pending further investigation and more charges are pending the outcomes.
*Convicted sex offenders and sex predators are required by Florida law to register and maintain updated information regarding the following identifying information: name; social security number; age; race; sex; date of birth; height; weight; tattoos or other identifying marks; hair and eye color; photograph; address of legal residence (or temporary residence); electronic mail addresses; Internet identifiers and each Internet identifier’s corresponding website homepage or application software name; home telephone numbers and cellular telephone numbers; employment information; driver’s license or Florida ID information; the make, model, color, vehicle identification number (VIN), and license tag number of all vehicles owned. The law specifies time frames during which notifications of any changes to the above information must be made.
