What Happens If I Fail to Register as a Sex Offender?

By San Diego Attorney on November 5, 2013

If you have been convicted of a sex crime in the state of California, there is a good possibility that you will be required to register as a sex offender once you have served your time. As if spending time behind bars isn’t bad enough, California Penal Code §290 requires you to provide the local authorities with your personal information and details about your case—which, unfortunately, may be a lifetime commitment. To make matters worse, you could face additional charges for failing to register within 5 days of your release from jail or prison. Fortunately, the San Diego criminal defense attorney at our firm can provide you with an aggressive defense if you have been accused of committing such a violation.

In accordance with the state’s mandatory registration requirements, you would be required to register yourself as a sexual offender within 5 working days of your release from imprisonment. Apart from the initial registration, you will also be required to renew your registration every year within 5 working days of your birthday and/or every time you move to a new residence. If you knowingly fail to do so, you could either be charged with a misdemeanor or felony offense—depending on the severity of the crime that you were originally convicted of and/or whether or not this is your first offense for failing to register. The penalties for failing to register as a sex offender in California are as follows:

• 1^st Offense (original offense was a misdemeanor)
  • Misdemeanor: punishable by up to 1 year in county jail
• 1^st Offense (original offense was a felony)
  • Felony: punishable by up to 3 years in state prison
• 2^nd or Subsequent Offense
  • Felony: punishable by a minimum of 1 year in state prison

Have you been accused of failing to register as a sex offender? If so, you should not hesitate to get in touch with the Vista sex crime lawyer at JD Law. Not only is he a Board Certified Criminal Law Specialist, but he even has experience as a former police officer—which means that he can contribute valuable insight to your defense. All you have to do is contact our firm today at (760) 630-2000 to find out how we can help. From there, our dedicated legal team can review the circumstances of your arrest and decide upon a practical course of action. Regardless of how bad things may look, you still have time to fight your charges. However, you should not attempt to face this alone. Call JD Law today.