If you’re required to register as a sex offender because of a conviction for a sex crime, you may be concerned that registration will jeopardize your personal and professional reputations. Sex offender registration is public information and being named a sex offender does result in a negative stigma. For this reason, many people may be tempted to fail to register as the criminal court ordered.
Failing to register as a sex offender when required to do so is a criminal offense in its own right and can have serious consequences. At the Law Offices of Tad Nelson & Associates, we have represented the rights of many people facing sex-related offenses, including failing to register as a sex offender. We understand how these charges can affect your life and will use our skills and experience to obtain the best result possible in your case.
Nationally Respected Criminal Defense Law Firm
When you call our law firm, you can rest assured you are speaking with a highly respected and successful criminal defense team. Our founder, Tad Nelson, is Board Certified as a criminal lawyer by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. This certification requires recommendations from fellow attorneys and judges as well as a demonstration of intricate knowledge of criminal law in Texas. In addition, major news channels have relied on Tad Nelson’s legal opinions regarding notable criminal cases and he has served as a guest legal expert several times.
Not only do our attorneys have extensive experience handling criminal cases both in Texas and on a federal level, but they have also earned a reputation for legal excellence and success nationwide. You can trust you are in good hands with Tad Nelson or Amber Spurlock handling your case.
Sex Offender Registration and Violations
No one wants to register as a sex offender. When you do so, your name, address, criminal offense, and other personal information will be available to anyone who conducts an Internet search. Sex offender registration does not discriminate based on the severity of a crime. People convicted of relatively minor sexually-related crimes may automatically be associated with violent rapists. Having your information accessible on the sex offender registry can substantially affect your job prospects as Texas law prohibits registered sex offenders from working in certain industries.
While the sex offender registry is in place with the goal of protecting the public, the system has its flaws. First, you can be required to register annually for ten years or even for the rest of your life. Registration has many different requirements, as you have to provide many types of information on a regular basis to the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS). You will have to update information regarding your residence, employment, licenses, education, aliases, phone numbers, and more. If you are considered to be at a high risk of committing another sexual crime, DPS will notify everyone in your community if you change residences. As you can imagine, registration can significantly affect many aspects of your life.
Defending Against Sex Offender Violations
If you fail to comply with the requirements of sex offender registration, DPS can report the failure and a prosecutor can obtain a warrant for your arrest and can issue additional charges against you. Such charges can be a 3rd-degree felony or 2nd-degree felony depending on the circumstances of your case. For example, you may face more serious charges if you are required to register every 90 days (as opposed to once a year) or if you are accused of using fraudulent information for your registration. Conviction of a 2nd-degree felony can mean two to 20 years behind bars and fines up to $10,000.
Prosecutors take violations of sex offender registration requirements very seriously. If you are considering violating your requirements, please call our office to discuss your options. In some cases, we can help you with a deregistration process if you meet certain criteria. If you have already been charged with a violation, you should contact our office as soon as possible so we can begin working on your defense.
Find Out How Our Experienced Houston Criminal Defense Attorneys Can Help
At The Law Offices of Tad Nelson & Associates, we represent convicted sex offender and those accused of sex crimes without judgment. Our criminal defense lawyers know you deserve to have your rights protected and to have the highest quality of defense possible. We have more than 30 years of combined experience litigating criminal cases, so please call us today at 713-659-0909 to speak with a dedicated member of our team.
