GILLETTE - More sex offenders are moving into Campbell County seeking jobs despite a tough state law that went into effect last year that was intended to keep them out of Wyoming entirely.

The state law that took effect last summer requires all sex offenders to appear on a state web site where people can search for them. Before that, only offenders that judges determined to be the most dangerous were featured on the web site.

Campbell County Sheriff's Deputy Roger Meadows keeps track of sex offenders in Campbell County. There are now 114 registered sex offenders in the county, about twice the number of a year ago.

"We have a lot of out-of-state offenders coming in" looking for work, Meadows said. "They're going to go where the work is."

In addition to putting every convicted sex offender on the web site, last year's changes to state law included making it a felony for offenders to fail to register with local law enforcement. It also requires convicted offenders to check in more frequently with police.

Although more offenders continue to move into Campbell County, Rep. Tom Lubnau, R-Gillette, said he believes the law has kept some from coming to the state. He's a lawyer and serves on Judiciary Committee in the Legislature.

Lubnau said sex offenders keep track of each state's sex offender laws and gravitate toward those with weak laws.

The Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation in Cheyenne operates the state's sex offender web site. Kevin Smith, deputy director of the division, said the site got more than 1 million page views within six months.

"It gets used heavily," particularly among school officials, Smith said.

The state registry has grown from about 300 offenders to more than 1,300 in the past year. Smith said DCI has received complaints from offenders who weren't posted on the site in the past. Many have complained of being ostracized by friends and co-workers who hadn't realized they had been convicted of a sex crime.

Lubnau said he has received complaints from offenders claiming they have been unfairly singled out by the changes. Yet he stands by the changes to the state law.

"Parents need all the resources at their hands to protect their kids," Lubnau said.

Boyd Brown, Campbell County School District associate superintendent, said officials with the district check the site regularly. He said bus drivers and principals are notified when a sex offender moves into the area.

"We try to make sure everybody's informed," Brown said.