Failure to Register as a Career Criminal

In order to understand the crime of Failure to Register as a Career Criminal, one must first understand what makes a person a career offender in the first place. A career offender is anyone who is designated as a habitual violent felony offender, a violent career criminal, a three-time violent felony offender, or a prison releasee reoffender. A defendant receives these designations at the time of his or her sentencing. A habitual violent felony offender is a defendant who at the time of sentencing for a new crime, has previously been convicted of an offense designated as a violent offense within five years. A violent career criminal is a defendant who has three or more convictions for an offense designated as a violent felony. A prison releasee reoffender is a defendant who is charged with a new felony offense within five years of his or her release from a prison sentence for another felony offense.

A person designated under any of those career offender titles is required to register as a career offender. Within 2 days of establishing a residence within a county in the State of Florida, a career offender is required to register with the Department of Corrections and to provide his or her address and contact information, along with fingerprints. The registrant is then placed in a database that is publicly accessible and his or her neighbors will be notified of the presence of the career offender. Failure to strictly comply with these requirements can and will result in criminal charges. If you have been charged or are investigated for such an offense, you should contact a dedicated Clearwater criminal defense lawyer to defend you.

A career offender who fails to register within the required time period at the Department of Corrections commits a third degree felony punishable by up to five years of imprisonment. More seriously, a career offender who notifies the department that he or she will be departing the state, but who then remains commits a second degree felony that is punishable by a maximum of fifteen years imprisonment.

Florida is one of the most unfriendly states to those with criminal records within the United States. While other states have progressively moved toward restoration of the rights of felons and clearing records of those convicted of petty crimes, Florida has remained squarely in the middle ages and makes it extremely burdensome to move on from criminal offenses. And as the seriousness of one’s prior convictions increases, so does the burden imposed by the State of Florida. If you have a prior criminal record and are concerned about how it may affect your life, don’t hesitate to contact a skilled Clearwater criminal defense lawyer to understand your options.

If you are arrested for a crime in the State of Florida, the state will create a permanent record of your arrest. Even if the prosecutors decide that the police wrongfully arrested you and that you did not actually commit a crime, the permanent arrest record will remain unless you take the time and expense of seeking an expungement. If you have been convicted of a sex offense, Florida requires an extraordinarily stringent lifetime reporting requirement. And similarly, if the State has designated a career criminal, you must also register with the Sheriff’s department for life. Failure to comply with the strict guidelines handed down by the State can result in serious criminal penalties.

The lawyers at Hanlon Law have the dedication and experience to find effective defenses for your case when other lawyers might push for a plea deal. We take pride in the excellent results that we achieve for our clients and look forward to achieving similar results for you. Call today for a consultation at 727-897-5413.