Nantucket County Sex Offender Registry

Nantucket County sits about 30 miles off the coast of Cape Cod. The island has roughly 14,000 year-round residents, but that number can swell past 50,000 in the summer months. Because of its small size and remote location, searching for sex offenders in Nantucket County works a bit differently than it does on the mainland. The SORB online database is the main tool for finding Level 2 and Level 3 registrants on the island. For records that are not in the online system, you can visit the Nantucket Police Department in person. This page covers every resource for searching the Nantucket County sex offender registry, from SORB to local law enforcement contacts.

Nantucket County Sheriff and SORB

The Nantucket County Sheriff's Office is at 20 South Water Street, Nantucket, MA 02554. The phone number is (508) 228-7263. The Sheriff's Office runs the county jail and works with the Sex Offender Registry Board to track offenders who pass through county custody. When a sex offender is released from the Nantucket jail, the office coordinates with SORB to confirm registration status. SORB handles all classification decisions from its office in Salem. The Sheriff does not assign risk levels or manage the registry itself.

SORB is the state agency that runs the sex offender registry for all of Massachusetts, including Nantucket County. You can reach SORB at (978) 740-6400 or toll-free at 1-800-93-MEGAN. The mailing address is P.O. Box 4547, Salem, MA 01970. SORB classifies each offender as Level 1, Level 2, or Level 3 based on the risk they pose. That classification determines how much of their information the public can see. Nantucket County follows the same rules as every other county in the state.

The island's small population means the number of registered sex offenders in Nantucket County is low compared to larger counties. But the registry rules still apply in full. Every offender must register with SORB. Every Level 2 and Level 3 offender must verify in person each year. The seasonal population surge during the summer does not change those rules, though it does bring more people to the island who may not be aware of local registrants.

How to Search Nantucket Sex Offenders

Start with the SORB online portal at sorb.chs.state.ma.us. The search is free. You can look up sex offenders by name, town, or zip code. Type in "Nantucket" and the database will show all Level 2 and Level 3 offenders who list Nantucket as their address. Level 1 offenders do not appear in the public search. The state considers them low risk.

There is a gap in the online data. Level 2 sex offenders classified before July 12, 2013, are not in the SORB online database. To get those records, you must go to a police station in person. Bring a valid photo ID. An officer can pull up the information at no charge. On Nantucket, the only option is the Nantucket Police Department at 4 South Water Street, Nantucket, MA 02554. Call them at (508) 228-1212 if you want to confirm hours before you go. This is the same process used across all of Massachusetts, but on an island with one police department, there is only one place to go.

Level 3 offenders are in the SORB database with no restrictions. Their photos, home addresses, physical descriptions, and offense details are all public. If you want to check for sex offenders near a school, park, or home in Nantucket County, the SORB portal is the best place to start.

The National Sex Offender Public Website at nsopw.gov is useful if you want to check someone who may have moved to Nantucket from out of state. That site pulls data from all 50 state registries.

Note: The SORB portal does not include Level 1 offenders or pre-2013 Level 2 offenders in Nantucket County.

Nantucket County Registration Rules

Sex offenders in Nantucket County follow the same registration requirements as offenders in any part of Massachusetts. The rules come from MGL c.6 sections 178C through 178Q. After conviction or release, an offender must register with SORB. They must give a current address, employer, and other identifying details. If they move, they have to update their registration within a set time frame.

Level 2 and Level 3 sex offenders must verify their registration in person each year. That is required under section 178F½. The verification is done with SORB, not with local police. Offenders who split time between Nantucket and the mainland still have to keep their registration current. The island's seasonal housing situation does not give anyone a pass on compliance.

Failing to register is a crime. Under section 178H, a first offense can bring up to five years in state prison. A second offense carries a mandatory five-year sentence. The Cape and Islands District Attorney's Office handles these cases for Nantucket County. If an offender's registration lapses, SORB notifies local law enforcement and the DA's office can bring charges.

Community Notification on Nantucket

When a Level 3 sex offender moves to Nantucket, the Nantucket Police Department is required to conduct active community notification. That can include door-to-door visits, posted flyers, or community meetings. On a small island, word travels fast, but the formal notification process still has to happen. The police department handles it. SORB does not do community notification directly.

Level 2 offenders get a different treatment. Police can share Level 2 information with schools, youth programs, and community organizations that ask for it. That is called organizational notification. If you run a camp, school, or child care program on Nantucket and want to receive sex offender information, call the Nantucket Police Department at (508) 228-1212 to set that up.

Level 1 offenders get no notification at all. Their records stay within the criminal justice system. The public does not have access. If you think a specific person should be classified at a higher level, you can contact SORB to request a review.

Note: Community notification for Level 3 sex offenders in Nantucket County is handled by the Nantucket Police Department.

Seasonal Population and Sex Offenders

Nantucket County has a unique challenge. The year-round population is about 14,000. In the summer, that number can top 50,000. This seasonal influx means that people who are not familiar with the island may not know about registered sex offenders living nearby. It also means that some offenders may come to Nantucket for seasonal work and need to update their registration if they stay for an extended period.

Under Massachusetts law, sex offenders who move to a new address must update their registration with SORB. That includes seasonal moves. An offender who spends the summer on Nantucket must register that address if it becomes their primary residence. The Nantucket Police Department and SORB both monitor compliance, but the small size of the department means resources are limited compared to larger mainland jurisdictions. If you notice someone who you believe should be registered but is not, contact the Nantucket Police Department or call SORB directly at 1-800-93-MEGAN.

Nantucket County Legal Resources

The Cape and Islands District Attorney's Office prosecutes sex crimes and registration violations in Nantucket County. The DA's office covers Barnstable, Dukes, and Nantucket counties. If an offender fails to register or commits a new offense on the island, the case goes through that office.

The SORB search portal is the main tool for finding sex offenders on the island. Below is a look at the portal interface that covers all of Massachusetts, including Nantucket County.

The SORB portal lets you search by name or location and returns results for Level 2 and Level 3 registrants across the state.

The Committee for Public Counsel Services provides public defense in Massachusetts. If someone cannot afford a lawyer for a sex offender classification hearing or a failure-to-register charge, they can contact CPCS. On Nantucket, court matters are handled through the Nantucket District Court at 16 Broad Street. The Massachusetts Law About Sex Offenders page on mass.gov gives a full overview of how the registry works, what the risk levels mean, and what rights both offenders and the public hold under state law.

Public Records Requests for Nantucket

If the SORB online search does not give you what you need, you can submit a formal public records request. The process is explained at mass.gov. This lets you request information that goes beyond what the public portal shows. In some cases, you can get limited details about Level 1 offenders or more detailed case information about Level 2 and Level 3 registrants in Nantucket County.

The request goes to SORB, not to local police. SORB reviews each request and decides what can be released under Massachusetts public records law. Response times vary. For general background information beyond the sex offender registry, the Massachusetts CORI system handles criminal background checks separately. CORI and SORB are two different systems. A CORI check covers criminal history broadly. SORB covers only registered sex offenders.

Cities in Nantucket County

No cities in Nantucket County meet the population threshold for a dedicated page on this site. The Town of Nantucket is the only municipality in the county. You can search sex offenders in Nantucket through the SORB portal or by contacting the Nantucket Police Department at (508) 228-1212.

Nearby Counties

Nantucket County is the most isolated county in Massachusetts. The nearest counties are accessible by ferry or air.