Failure to Register as a Sex Offender

Criminal charges and convictions can have a lasting negative effect on a person’s life. Even minor offenses like simple possession of cannabis can result in punishments that seem harsh and completely unrelated to the criminal charge itself. For example, if you are convicted of possession of marijuana or any other controlled substance, your license will be suspended for a period of six months. What does drug possession have to do with your driver’s privilege you ask? It doesn’t have any meaningful connection, except that lawmakers in our state have determined that people convicted of drug crimes deserve harsher punishments than what they get already. If you are convicted of any felony offense, you will lose many of the civil rights afforded to you under the constitution. You are automatically stripped of your right to vote in state and national elections, and you lose the right under the second amendment to possess a firearm.

If getting convicted of a drug charge or felony sounds bad, it is nothing compared to what people convicted of sex crimes must go through in the State of Florida. Those convicted of serious sex crimes certainly deserve some of the punishment they receive. However, in Florida even after you’ve done your time—whether it be prison, jail or probation—those convicted of most sex crimes are required to register on the sex offender list for the remainder of their lives. The sex offender registry makes no exceptions. And while again, the government has arguments as to why we should keep serious sex offenders on the registry, there is also the question of those who get on the registry for offenses that are not so serious. People convicted of consensual statutory rape, and those convicted of simply communicating with minors who take no physical action also often end up on Florida’s lifetime registry. If you have been required to register as a sex offender in Florida and it has caused you serious hardship, you may want to speak to an experienced Clearwater sex crimes lawyer to find out what your options are.

Along with broadly requiring those convicted of almost any sex offense to join a lifetime registry, the State of Florida also imposes hefty restrictions upon people who are registered. People on the registry are prohibited from residing within a certain distance from schools and parks, and are often restricted in their ability to even use devices that connect to the internet, a requirement in today’s digital age. These restrictions pose a serious hardship to people on the registry who often struggle to find appropriate housing and work. This burden often forces people back into the system who turn to drugs or crime in order to survive.

One of the most common criminal charges faced by sex offenders is simply the failure to register as a sex offender. Once required to join the registry, sex offenders in Florida must immediately report to the local sheriff’s office to be placed on the list. The offender must then report every six months in order to report their status and whereabouts. This registry is constantly monitored by law enforcement who will begin investigations and issue warrants for those who are even a day late to the registry. Defendants have been known to be arrested at the sheriff’s office when they show up late to update their registration. Every miniscule change in one’s life must be reported. Every update to a driver’s license and every move from one home to another must be reported or criminal charges will be filed. Failure to register as a sex offender is a third degree felony punishable by up to five years in prison but people are often facing more serious penalties because of their earlier charges. If you have been charged with failure to register, it is imperative that you contact a skilled Clearwater sex crimes lawyer immediately.

The attorneys at Hanlon Law have years of experience dealing with serious sex offenses. Don’t hesitate to speak with us today at 727.897.5413.