Benzie County Sex Offender Lookup

Benzie County sex offenders are part of Michigan's Public Sex Offender Registry, a free statewide database operated by the Michigan State Police. You can search the registry by name, address, or zip code to find registered sex offenders living or working in Benzie County. Registration in the county is handled by the Benzie County Sheriff's Office in Beulah, led by Sheriff Kyle Rosa. The Michigan PSOR shows current registrant data and is updated as offenders report required changes to local law enforcement.

Searching Benzie County Sex Offenders

The Michigan Public Sex Offender Registry search page is where you find all registered sex offenders in Benzie County. Select the county filter, enter a Beulah or Benzonia zip code, or search by name to narrow results. The PSOR is free, open to anyone, and covers the entire state. Each registrant profile includes the person's name, a current photo, home address, any secondary addresses, vehicle information, offense record, and tier level. The Michigan State Police updates these profiles when registrants report changes in person to local law enforcement.

Benzie County is a northwest Lower Peninsula county with a population of about 18,000. Its county seat is Beulah. Sheriff Kyle Rosa heads the Benzie County Sheriff's Office at 505 Michigan Avenue (US 31) in Beulah, MI 49617. To reach the sheriff's office, call 231-882-0052. The office is the primary contact point for all local sex offender registration in Benzie County.

Benzie County is a smaller county, so the number of active registrants is modest. Even so, all persons required to be listed under Michigan's SORA appear in the statewide database, and the data is just as thorough as in any other Michigan county. The registry includes Tier I, Tier II, and Tier III offenders. Each tier has different verification and duration requirements.

The state PSOR search interface shown below is available at mspsor.com/Home/Search and covers all Benzie County registrants.

This is the official state tool for searching the Benzie County sex offender list and is maintained by the Michigan State Police.

Registration at the Benzie County Sheriff's Office

Under MCL 28.723, anyone convicted of a qualifying sex offense in Michigan must register with law enforcement. In Benzie County, that registration happens at the Sheriff's Office at 505 Michigan Avenue in Beulah. Registration must take place before or at release from custody, or within three business days of establishing or changing a Michigan address. Registrants must appear in person. Mail, phone, or online registration is not accepted under Michigan law.

Bring a valid government-issued photo ID, proof of your current address, and vehicle information when you register. The fee is $50 at initial registration and $50 per year after that, with a $550 lifetime cap. Under MCL 28.725, any change in address, vehicle, school, or employment status must be reported in person within three business days. This applies to all tiers and all registered individuals in Benzie County, regardless of how long they have been on the registry.

Penalties for failing to comply with SORA are criminal. Under MCL 28.729, a first violation can mean up to four years in prison and a $5,000 fine. A second violation brings up to seven years and a $10,000 fine. A third or later offense can bring ten years and a $10,000 fine. The Benzie County Sheriff's Office enforces these rules and coordinates with the Michigan State Police on compliance checks.

Note: Registrants who spend time at multiple locations, such as a seasonal cabin in Benzie County, may need to register that secondary address in addition to their primary one.

Tier Levels for Benzie County Registrants

Michigan assigns every registered sex offender to one of three tiers at the time of registration, based on the offense of conviction. The classification is done by the Michigan State Police under MCL 28.725a. Tier I covers lower-level offenses like fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct (MCL 750.520e). These registrants verify once per year and stay on the public list for 15 years. Tier II includes more serious crimes, like second-degree criminal sexual conduct under MCL 750.520c, with semi-annual verification and 25 years on the registry.

Tier III is for the most serious sex offenses. Crimes like first-degree criminal sexual conduct under MCL 750.520b fall in this tier. Tier III registrants must verify every three months and remain on the public registry for life. On the Benzie County section of the PSOR, each profile shows the registrant's tier alongside their photo, address, and offense record. This gives residents a clear picture of where each registrant falls on the severity scale and how often they are required to check in with the Benzie County Sheriff's Office.

Additional Resources for Benzie County

If you need criminal history records beyond sex offender data, the Michigan ICHAT tool provides statewide conviction history for $10 per search. ICHAT covers felonies and misdemeanors across all offense types in Michigan. For people currently under MDOC supervision, the OTIS database lets you check current custody and parole status. Court records for Benzie County cases go through the local circuit court in Beulah, and the statewide MiCOURT case search portal covers many of those records online.

For multi-state sex offender searches, the National Sex Offender Public Website searches all fifty state registries at once. This is useful when checking on someone who may have moved to Benzie County from another state. The Michigan State Police SOR Unit can be reached at (517) 241-1806, by email at psors@michigan.gov, or by mail at P.O. Box 30634, Lansing, MI 48909-0634. Their online contact form is also available for questions or to report concerns about a registrant in Benzie County.

Anyone who suspects a registered sex offender in Benzie County is not complying with their registration requirements should contact the Benzie County Sheriff's Office at 231-882-0052. Compliance is a shared concern, and the sheriff's office takes non-compliance reports seriously.

Cities in Benzie County

No cities in Benzie County meet the population threshold for a dedicated page on this site. To search for sex offenders in Beulah, Frankfort, Benzonia, Honor, or other parts of the county, use the Michigan Public Sex Offender Registry. The PSOR lets you search by city name or zip code to find registrants in any specific area of Benzie County.

Nearby Counties

Benzie County is on the northwestern Lower Peninsula shoreline. Check sex offender registry data for neighboring counties using the links below.