Information provided by the Hollister Police Department.
The Hollister Police Department announced on Feb. 13 the arrest of two registered sex offenders in recent weeks for allegedly lying about their registration.
According to a recent press release, one arrest occurred Jan. 22 when patrol officers were dispatched to a residence on Knight Lane in Hollister regarding the report of a family argument. Upon arrival at the residence, officers learned that Hollister resident Miguel Zarazua, 37, was residing at the residence for several months. Zarazua had been registering as a transient sex offender and had failed to update his registration residence with the police department, the release said, and Zarazua was booked at the San Benito County Jail for failing to register with the police department when moving into a residence.
Detective Leland made a similar arrest on Jan. 7. Julio Arevalo, 35, of Hollister came to the police department to update his status as a transient sex offender registrant. The release said that Leland interviewed Arevalo and learned that he had failed to properly disclose his current address approximately 39 times in the last three years. According to the release, Arevalo has been living in the 1200 block of Rancho Drive in an apartment, but had failed to register at that address. Arevalo was also arrested and booked.
The police press release states the two subjects attempted to conceal their registration status by purposely neglecting to report their registration address, and that the Hollister Police Department takes its obligation to monitor these offenders seriously.
If the public feels there may be a registrant who is out of compliance, please contact HPD investigators.
Anyone with information regarding these investigations are requested to contact Detective Bo Leland at the Hollister Police Department at (831) 638-4115. Persons wishing to remain anonymous may call WeTip at (800) 78-CRIME. Information provided to WeTip may qualify for a reward.