The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office is advising the public that Shawn J. Palmer, DOB 04/08/71, has registered as a Sexual Offender living in Sarasota County.

 

Palmer was convicted in 2003 in Indiana of Molestation of a Child and sentenced to 1 year of confinement. In 2005, he violated his probation and was sentenced to two years in prison. Palmer was again convicted in 2014 for Failure to Comply with Sex Offender Reporting as well as Commercial Burglary, and sentenced to an additional five years behind bars. He was released in 2015 and just moved to Sarasota County from Pinellas County. Palmer registered as a transient living in the 100 block of Corporation Way in Venice. The registration of a “location” and not a physical address is allowable by Florida law for homeless or transient persons, but a transient offender or predator must register their address with the sheriff’s office every 30 days. Palmer is not currently under the supervision of the Florida Department of Corrections and due to the date of his original conviction, residency restrictions do not apply.

 

This information is posted on the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office website, agency Facebook and Twitter accounts, to publicly notify citizens of sexual offenders and predators who register a Sarasota County address for the first time, when moving into the county or following release from prison. Citizens should still sign up to receive notifications from FDLE of sex offenders and predator registrations.