There was no change in the number of registered sex offenders living in Benton County in March compared to the previous month, according to the Minnesota Public Registrant Search.
As of March, one sex offender was living in the county.
The Registry shows this sex offender is not a sexual predator.
In Minnesota, people convicted of sex-related crimes are required to register as predatory offenders. The registration period usually lasts 10 years from sentencing, release, or the end of supervision, but in serious cases, such as repeat offenses or first-degree criminal sexual conduct, it can extend to lifetime registration.
Minnesota spends over $100 million annually on its Sex Offense Civil Commitment (SOCC) program, designed to prevent sex offender recidivism, according to a study by the Sex Offense Litigation and Policy Resource Center.
A SafeHome.org study found that the number of registered sex offenders in the U.S. rose to more than 795,000 as of August 2024, an increase of about 8,000 from 2023.
Frequently updated information about sex offenders in Minnesota can be found online here.
| Offender | Crime | Crime description |
|---|---|---|
| Harold Eugene Beals | Criminal sexual conduct in the first degree | Harold Beals engaged in sexual contact against two known female children on multiple occasions. Contact included touch and penetration. Beals used his significant relationship of trust to attain and exploit access with the victims’. He used Manipulation and coercion in order to maintain control. |
Information in this story was obtained from the Minnesota Public Registrant Search. The source data can be found here.
