Registered Sex Offenders in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania

Lehigh County anchors the western half of Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley, a densely populated corridor in the southeastern corner of the state. The county seat, Allentown, is Pennsylvania's third-largest city and drives significant economic and population activity across the region. Lehigh County borders Northampton County to the east, Bucks and Montgomery counties to the south, and Berks County to the west. The Pennsylvania State Police maintains the statewide Megan's Law registry that covers all registered sex offenders in Lehigh County, and this page explains how residents can search that registry, what the law requires of offenders, and how local agencies enforce compliance.

About the Lehigh County Sex Offender Registry

Lehigh County was established in 1812 from part of Northampton County and has grown steadily into one of Pennsylvania's most urbanized regions. With a population exceeding 380,000, it consistently ranks among the ten most populous counties in the state. Allentown dominates the county's population and economic activity, but Bethlehem -- which straddles the Lehigh-Northampton county line -- and smaller communities like Emmaus, Macungie, Whitehall Township, and Upper Macungie Township contribute significantly to the county's character. The Lehigh Valley as a whole has attracted considerable industrial, healthcare, and logistics investment in recent decades, fueling population growth and the expansion of suburban communities.

The sex offender registry for Lehigh County is part of Pennsylvania's unified statewide database administered by the Pennsylvania State Police. All individuals convicted of qualifying sex offenses who reside, work, or attend school within Lehigh County must maintain active registrations in this system. The Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas processes sex offense cases and assigns registration tiers at sentencing. The county government, accessible at lehighcounty.org, supports public access to court records and other services that may complement Megan's Law searches.

Note: Lehigh County's large urban population means the registry for this county may contain a higher number of entries than smaller rural counties, making geographic searches particularly useful for residents wanting to focus on specific neighborhoods.

How to Search Lehigh County Sex Offenders

The Pennsylvania State Police Megan's Law website at meganslaw.psp.pa.gov is the official and authoritative source for searching registered sex offenders in Lehigh County. The site is publicly available, requires no account or login, and is updated by PSP as offenders register address changes and as new registrants enter the system. Multiple search methods are available to suit different needs.

Residents can search by name to check whether a specific individual appears on the registry. A county-based search allows you to select Lehigh County and retrieve a full list of all offenders currently registered there. Zip code searches let you narrow results to particular communities within the county, such as Allentown (18101, 18102, 18103, 18104, 18109), Emmaus (18049), Macungie (18062), or Whitehall (18052). The address proximity search is particularly valuable in the dense urban neighborhoods of Allentown: enter any street address and set a radius to see all registered offenders within that distance. Each offender record includes a photograph, physical description, current registered address, and information about the qualifying offense or offenses.

The Allentown Police Department maintains a significant presence in sex offender compliance monitoring within the city, while the Lehigh County Sheriff's Office and multiple municipal departments throughout the county support verification efforts in their respective jurisdictions.

Lehigh County and Pennsylvania Megan's Law

Pennsylvania's Megan's Law framework underwent its most comprehensive revision through Act 111 of 2011, which implemented the federal SORNA standards under the Adam Walsh Act. The three-tier system that resulted from this legislation took effect on December 20, 2012, and has governed registration and notification in Lehigh County since that date. Courts in Lehigh County apply the tiering criteria established in Title 42, Chapter 97 to determine whether a particular sex offense falls within Tier I, II, or III, and they refer offenders to the Sexual Offenders Assessment Board when an SVP designation may be warranted.

Allentown's size and density create both challenges and opportunities for registry enforcement. The city's police department has dedicated resources for tracking registered offenders within city limits, and the Lehigh County Sheriff's Office provides coverage across the surrounding townships and boroughs. When offenders fail to register or update their information, the Lehigh County District Attorney's Office is responsible for bringing charges under the relevant statutes. The DA's office has historically taken registration violations seriously, recognizing that the integrity of the registry depends on consistent prosecution of non-compliance.

Sex Offender Tiers in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania's sex offender registration system categorizes offenders into three tiers under Title 42, Chapter 97 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes. The Sexual Offenders Assessment Board (SOAB) supports the court in evaluating offenders and making tier assignments and SVP determinations. Each tier reflects the severity of the underlying offense and determines the duration and frequency of registration obligations.

Tier I encompasses relatively lower-severity sexual offenses and requires registration for a period of 15 years. During that period, offenders must appear in person once each year to verify their registration information. Tier II covers offenses of intermediate severity, including certain crimes targeting minors and repeat-offense situations, and requires a 25-year registration period with in-person verification required every 180 days. Tier III applies to the most serious sexual crimes in Pennsylvania -- including rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, and other severe offenses -- and mandates lifetime registration with in-person verification required every 90 days.

Sexually Violent Predators receive a designation that exists alongside but above the tier classifications. An SVP finding is made by the court after the SOAB evaluates the offender and determines that a mental abnormality or personality disorder makes the individual likely to reoffend sexually. SVPs face lifetime registration, quarterly verification, and mandatory active community notification. Given Lehigh County's urban density and the presence of numerous schools, daycares, and universities in and around Allentown, SVP notifications in this county reach a wide audience of potentially affected residents and institutions.

Lehigh County Law Enforcement and Registered Offenders

Enforcement of Megan's Law registration requirements in Lehigh County involves a coordinated network of agencies. The Pennsylvania State Police serves as the central registry authority and processes all registration submissions and updates. Within Allentown, the Allentown Police Department's detective bureau handles compliance checks and non-compliance investigations within the city's boundaries. The Lehigh County Sheriff's Office extends this coverage into the townships and boroughs outside Allentown that may not have full-service municipal departments.

Throughout the county, municipal departments in communities like Whitehall Township, Salisbury Township, Upper Macungie Township, Lower Macungie Township, and Emmaus Borough conduct their own compliance monitoring within their jurisdictions. These departments often receive tips from residents who recognize that a registered offender's listed address does not match their actual location, and they pass those tips along to PSP for investigation. The Lehigh County Prison and the county's probation and parole system also interface with the registry, ensuring that offenders completing sentences or under supervision maintain their registration obligations during those periods.

Registration Requirements in Lehigh County

All registered sex offenders in Lehigh County must comply with the ongoing reporting requirements established under Title 42, Chapter 97 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes. These requirements apply uniformly across the state, and the PSP Megan's Law Section coordinates their enforcement with local agencies in Lehigh County.

Any change to a registered offender's home address, employment, or school enrollment must be reported to PSP within three days of the change. In a county as active as Lehigh -- where people move between Allentown neighborhoods, change jobs along the Route 22 corridor, or shift between educational institutions -- this three-day window means offenders must act promptly whenever their circumstances change. An offender who moves from South Whitehall Township to a new apartment in Allentown, or who takes a new warehouse job in Upper Macungie, must report both changes within three days. Failing to meet this deadline is itself a criminal offense.

Offenders planning international travel must provide written notification to PSP at least 21 days before departure. This advance notice allows PSP to alert international law enforcement agencies when appropriate. Additionally, all vehicles regularly driven by the offender, all internet identifiers including email accounts and social media usernames, and any professional licenses must be kept current in the registry. These requirements reflect the broad scope of information needed to monitor offenders effectively in a diverse, urbanized county like Lehigh.

Note: Offenders who are registered in another state and take employment in Lehigh County -- even if they do not reside there -- must register their employment address with PSP.

Community Notification in Lehigh County

Pennsylvania's active community notification process applies exclusively to individuals designated as Sexually Violent Predators. For the many registered sex offenders in Lehigh County who fall into Tier I, II, or III without an SVP designation, the public can access their information through the online registry, but PSP does not proactively notify neighbors or community institutions. The SVP designation triggers a qualitatively different and more intensive response.

When an SVP registers or updates an address anywhere in Lehigh County, PSP initiates direct written notification to neighbors within 250 feet of the registered address, or to the 25 nearest neighbors if fewer than 25 people live within that radius, whichever provides broader coverage. Elementary and secondary schools within one mile of the registered address receive notification, as do licensed daycare centers operating in the surrounding area. Colleges and universities -- including institutions like Cedar Crest College and Muhlenberg College, which are situated near Allentown neighborhoods -- within 1,000 feet of the address receive notification as well. In a densely populated urban area like Allentown, this notification can reach a large number of neighbors and institutions in a concentrated geographic footprint.

For proactive awareness, Lehigh County residents can subscribe to the free email alert service on the PSP Megan's Law website. Subscribers enter a geographic area of interest -- such as a zip code in Allentown or the surrounding suburbs -- and receive automatic email notifications when new offenders register in that area or when an existing offender updates their address. This free service keeps families, neighborhood associations, and community groups informed without requiring them to manually check the registry.

Reporting Non-Compliance in Lehigh County

Lehigh County residents who suspect that a registered sex offender is not in compliance with their registration requirements should contact the Pennsylvania State Police tip line at 1-866-771-3170. This statewide hotline is the primary channel for reporting suspected violations of sex offender registration requirements. Tips can be submitted anonymously, and PSP investigators will follow up on credible information and coordinate with local agencies as appropriate.

Non-compliance with Pennsylvania sex offender registration requirements is a criminal offense under 18 Pa.C.S. § 3130. Violations can result in felony charges, and the Lehigh County District Attorney's Office has authority to prosecute these cases. The Allentown Police Department and Lehigh County Sheriff's Office can also receive non-compliance tips directly and will refer matters to PSP and the DA as warranted. Residents should provide as much specific information as possible -- including the offender's name, the address where they are believed to actually be residing, and any other details that support the concern. Under no circumstances should a community member attempt to confront or monitor an offender independently; that role belongs to trained law enforcement.

Nearby Counties

Lehigh County is surrounded by several neighboring counties in southeastern Pennsylvania, all of which are covered by the same statewide Megan's Law database.

View All 67 Counties