Oceana County Sex Offender Registry

Oceana County sex offender records are available to the public at no cost through the Michigan Public Sex Offender Registry, operated by the Michigan State Police. Residents can search registered sex offenders in Oceana County by name, address, city, or zip code using the Michigan PSOR. Registration for Oceana County is handled in person at the Sheriff's Office in Hart, the county seat.

Oceana County Sex Offender Registry Search

The Michigan PSOR search portal is the main tool for finding registered sex offenders in Oceana County. The search is free and open to everyone. You can look up by name, zip code, city name, or a specific street address. Each result includes the registrant's current address, photo, vehicle information, and the offense that required registration. The database updates when registrants report changes within the three-day window set by MCL 28.725.

Oceana County is a rural county along Lake Michigan's eastern shoreline, north of Muskegon. The county seat is Hart, and the county includes smaller communities like Shelby, Pentwater, and Crystal Valley Township. Oceana County has a relatively small registry given its population of around 27,000, but the public search tools work the same way as in larger counties. Filtering by zip code in the PSOR is especially helpful for pinpointing results in specific parts of this geographically spread-out county.

The Oceana County Sheriff's Office website is at oceana.mi.us/government/departments/sheriff/. The image below links to that site and shows the department's online presence.

The Oceana County Sheriff's Office in Hart is the registration authority for all sex offenders living, working, or attending school in Oceana County.

Oceana County Sheriff's Office Registration

All sex offender registration in Oceana County takes place at the Sheriff's Office at 216 E. Lincoln St., P.O. Box 32, Hart, MI 49420. The main phone number is (231) 873-2121. The fax is (231) 873-0154. Sheriff Craig Mast has led the department since 2016. Registration must be completed in person. You cannot register by mail, phone, or online.

When you come in to register, bring a government-issued photo ID, documentation of your current Oceana County address, and information on any vehicles you operate. Under MCL 28.723, you must register within three business days of moving to a new Oceana County address. That three-day window also applies when you change addresses within the county, add a vehicle, or update information about your school or workplace. Missing that deadline is a felony offense under Michigan law.

Note: Registrants who have questions about whether their offense requires registration in Oceana County should call the Michigan State Police SOR Unit at (517) 241-1806 or email psors@michigan.gov before the deadline passes.

Registration Tiers in Oceana County

Michigan's three-tier system under MCL 28.725a determines how often a registrant must verify and how long they stay on the registry. The tier is set at sentencing based on the offense. It does not change, and the Oceana County Sheriff has no authority to modify it.

Tier I covers lower-level sex offenses, including fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct under MCL 750.520e. Tier I registrants in Oceana County verify once per year and remain on the registry for 15 years. Tier II covers mid-level crimes such as second-degree criminal sexual conduct under MCL 750.520c. These registrants verify every six months and stay registered for 25 years. Tier III includes the most serious offenses, such as first-degree criminal sexual conduct under MCL 750.520b. Tier III registrants in Oceana County verify every quarter and are on the public registry for life.

The initial registration fee is $50. Annual renewal is $50. The total lifetime cap on fees is $550.

Michigan SORA and Oceana County

Sex offender registration in Oceana County is governed by Michigan's Sex Offenders Registration Act, which begins at MCL 28.721. This statewide law applies equally to all 83 counties. It sets out who must register, how frequently, and what the consequences are for failing to comply. The Michigan State Police maintains the central registry database under MCL 28.728 and provides public access through the PSOR.

Failure to register or update information is a felony under MCL 28.729. A first offense can result in up to four years in prison and a $5,000 fine. A second violation brings a maximum of seven years and $10,000. Third and subsequent offenses carry up to ten years and a $10,000 fine. These are serious charges, and Oceana County prosecutors treat them accordingly.

Registrants who move out of Oceana County must notify the Sheriff's Office and register in their new county. Those who leave Michigan must meet both Michigan's exit requirements and the registration laws of the state they move to. Anyone who spends more than seven consecutive days in another Michigan county must register there as well. Registrants who work or attend school in a different county from where they live must register in each applicable county.

Additional Offender Records Tools

Several state tools complement the PSOR for Oceana County records checks. The Michigan Offender Tracking Information System (OTIS) shows current parole and probation status for Michigan offenders and is available free from the Michigan Department of Corrections. If you know someone recently left prison and may be in Oceana County, OTIS is worth checking alongside the sex offender registry.

For a broader criminal background check, the Michigan State Police operates ICHAT. A query costs $10 and returns Michigan felony and misdemeanor conviction records going beyond sex offenses alone. The National Sex Offender Public Website is a free tool that searches all fifty state registries in one query. Use it when you think someone may have recently moved to Oceana County from another state.

Oceana County court records can be searched through MiCOURT Case Search. The 27th Circuit Court covers felony matters for Oceana County. The 79th District Court handles misdemeanors and lower civil claims.

Reporting Non-Compliance in Oceana County

If you believe a registered sex offender in Oceana County is not meeting their legal obligations, contact the Oceana County Sheriff's Office at (231) 873-2121. You can also reach the Michigan State Police SOR Unit at (517) 241-1806 or send an email to psors@michigan.gov. The PSOR website has a contact form for registry questions and concerns.

Michigan law enforcement actively enforces compliance. The MSP and local sheriffs in Oceana County work together to identify registrants who fail to verify or update their information on time. For any immediate safety concern, call 911. Non-urgent compliance reports should go to the Sheriff's Office or the MSP SOR Unit.

Cities in Oceana County

Oceana County is a rural county, and none of its communities meet the population threshold for a dedicated page on this site. Hart is the county seat. Shelby and Pentwater are among the other communities in the county. To search for sex offenders in any Oceana County city or township, use the Michigan PSOR and filter by city or zip code to locate results.

Nearby Counties

Oceana County borders several other Michigan counties along the western Lower Peninsula. View sex offender registry information for neighboring counties below.