State Police say the number of Maine’s registered sex offenders will increase by more than 30 percent following recent changes enacted during the last Legislative session. The law change that went into effect September 17 requires those convicted after January 1, 1982 for a number of offenses to now register. Previously the cutoff date to be included as a registered Maine sex offender was June 30, 1992.

State Police Lt. Thomas Kelly, who oversees the State Bureau of Identification, said there are currently 1,687 persons on Maine’s sex offender registry and that his division has already identified 584 more that will be added to the list as a result of the law change. Kelly said the number will increase as older criminal history data is converted from paper to electronic records. The recent change also affects those that have been convicted out of state, but now live, work, or attend school in Maine.