Bradford County Sheriff Gordon Smith has publicly flagged a Starke man as the county’s “Sexual Predator of the Week” in a Facebook post that names the registrant and lists his residence, while pointedly warning residents not to take justice into their own hands.
The brief Monday post identifies Joseph Williamson, cites a Starke address drawn from state records, and reminds neighbors that the information comes from Florida’s official offender registry. It also includes a caution against harassment or vandalism and shares the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s (FDLE) tip line for anyone who spots an error or has concerns.
Public registry listings show a Joseph Digby Williamson at 3410 SE 140th Ave in Starke, designated a “sexual predator,” according to OffenderRadar. FDLE runs the statewide searchable registry, offers a downloadable county data file, and maintains a hotline for tips and corrections, according to FDLE.
What the sheriff’s post said
Along with naming Williamson, Sheriff Smith’s notice lifts language directly from the state’s standard disclaimer, warning readers, “do not use the information to harass sexual offenders or predators, vandalize their property, or facilitate other crimes against them.” The post directs people to state records for photos and full registration details and is publicly viewable on the sheriff’s Facebook page: Facebook.
How to verify and report
Residents who want to double check what they saw in their feed can search FDLE’s online offender database or download the Bradford County CSV file. If something looks off, FDLE asks that corrections be reported to the Offender Registry Services Bureau via its tip line at 1-888-357-7332, according to FDLE, rather than by confronting registrants directly.
For local follow up that is not an emergency, the Bradford County Sheriff’s Office lists its non-emergency contact numbers and other information on its website: Bradford County Sheriff's Office.
Legal context
Florida law requires certain offenders to register and allows law enforcement to notify the community. Chapter 943 of the Florida Statutes spells out who must register, what information they must provide, how community notification works, and the penalties for failing to comply, according to the Florida Senate.
Why this matters locally
Sheriff Smith’s social media “spotlight” posts fit into a pattern of Bradford County alerts that push registry updates straight into residents’ feeds while also stressing that vigilante responses are off limits. A previous write up, Sheriff Blasts Out Warning, noted the same mix of public safety messaging and explicit anti-vigilante wording. Officials are continuing to steer worried neighbors toward FDLE’s tools or local dispatch instead of handling situations on their own.
