Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigators arrested two sex offenders who failed to register while living in the Florida Keys during compliance checks this week, according to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office. Joshua Roland, 40, and Manuel Herbert, 44, were both taken into custody at separate locations in Monroe County and remain at the Monroe County Jail in Key West.
Roland was arrested at 11:25 p.m. Tuesday at 251 Mars Lane in Geiger Key, where deputies found him living and working in commercial fishing without notifying law enforcement of his presence in the Florida Keys. Roland was convicted of unlawful sexual contact with a minor in Portage, a village in Wood County, Ohio, and has been a registered sex offender since 2007. He faces charges of failure to register changes to employment information, failure to report a residence change, and failure to register as required, with bond set at $75,000.
Herbert was arrested Wednesday at 420 County Road on Stock Island during the same compliance operation. Herbert was convicted of two sexual batteries in 2006 in Monroe County and had been registered as living in North Miami last year before moving to the Keys without reporting the address change. He faces three counts of failure to report a residence change.
Sex offender registration requirements in Florida mandate that offenders notify law enforcement within 48 hours of any change in residence, employment, or vehicle information. The state maintains a public registry accessible online, making Florida one of the few jurisdictions worldwide that allows full public access to sex offender information. Failure to comply with registration requirements is a felony in Florida, carrying potential prison sentences and significant fines.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement conducts regular compliance checks throughout the state to locate sex offenders who have failed to maintain current registration information. These operations often involve coordination with local sheriff’s offices and utilize database cross-referencing to identify offenders who may have moved without proper notification. The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office assisted FDLE investigators in locating both suspects during this week’s operation in the Keys.
Roland’s arraignment is scheduled for 8:45 a.m. April 9, while Herbert’s court appearance is set for 9 a.m. April 2, according to court records. Both men remain in custody at the Monroe County Jail as the investigation continues into other potential unregistered sex offenders in the Florida Keys area.