Florida Sex Offenders Not Allowed At Hurricane Irma Shelters, Sheriff Says

As Hurricane Irma batters the Caribbean and threatens to make landfall in Florida this weekend, one sheriff has a stern warning: Those seeking shelter with a warrant will be sent to jail.

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd issued a series of warnings Wednesday on Twitter ahead of Hurricane Irma.

“If you go to a shelter for #Irma, be advised: sworn LEOs [law enforcement officers] will be at every shelter, checking IDs. Sex offenders/predators will not be allowed,” said Judd on Twitter.

He also expanded the warning to all people who have a warrant out for their arrest.

“If you go to a shelter for #Irma and you have a warrant, we'll gladly escort you to the safe and secure shelter called the Polk County Jail,” wrote Polk. “If you have a warrant, turn yourself into the jail — it's a secure shelter."

The land-locked county in central Florida is sure to be affected by the storm. President Donald Trump declared an emergency in Florida on Tuesday. Irma reached a Category 5 designation with sustained winds at one point of 185 miles per hour, making it one of the most powerful storms ever recorded in the Atlantic Ocean.

The southernmost county in Florida, which encompasses the Florida Key is under a mandatory evacuation, and officials are eying other counties for evacuation as the storm approaches.

Florida Governor Rick Scott has activated all of Florida’s National Guard for Friday in preparation for Hurricane Irma.

Currently, the storm is battering a number of Caribbean Islands, including St. Martin, Barbuda and Barthelemy. The storm is on track to hit the British Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico later Wednesday.