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Fla. Sheriff: Sex offenders, anyone with warrant banned from Irma shelters

BARTOW, Fla. (AP) – People with active warrants in one Florida county might want to think twice about heading to a shelter for Hurricane Irma.
Hurricane Irma strengthened to a Category 5 storm on Tuesday. (Photo: NOAA)

BARTOW, Fla. (AP) – People with active warrants in one Florida county might want to think twice about heading to a shelter for Hurricane Irma.

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd posted on his official Twitter account Wednesday that deputies will be checking identification at the county’s shelters, and anyone with a warrant will be arrested and taken to “the safe and secure shelter called the Polk County Jail.”

Judd also posted that sex offenders and sex predators would not be admitted to the shelters.

Sheriff’s spokeswoman Carrie Horstman says they’re trying to educate the public before the storm hits this weekend. She says they’re hoping people with warrants will turn themselves in and use the next few days to deal with their legal issues.

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