Understanding the Sex Offender Registry in Texas

 Posted on November 01, 2022 in Criminal Defense

An alleged offender recently pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 50 years in prison for violating his sex offender registration requirements in Llano County. The man was originally required to register as a sex offender following multiple 1997 convictions in Williamson County for victimizing two young girls over a four-year period. 

Sex crimes often carry serious penalties for alleged offenders, making a stringent defense against the charges even more important. Sex offender registration can be one of the most demeaning and embarrassing aspects of a sex crime conviction, so it comes as little surprise that some people are not terribly active in maintaining their records. There are, however, clear consequences to violations of state law.

Sex Offender Laws in Texas

Chapter 62 of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure addresses the Sex Offender Registration Program, and this law states that any person with a reportable conviction or adjudication must register as a condition of parole or release to mandatory supervision, must register as a condition of community supervision, or extra-jurisdictional registrants must register as sex offenders. Reportable convictions or adjudications are defined as convictions or adjudications based on more than 13 different kinds of violations.

All sex offenders in other jurisdictions will still have to register as sex offenders in Texas. A sex offender registers with a local law enforcement authority for the municipality where they reside, but when a sex offender does not live in a municipality, they register with the local law enforcement authority for the county where they are living. 

Registration must be completed no later than seven days after a sex offender arrives in a municipality or county, or the first date a local law enforcement authority allows a sex offender to register. When a sex offender resides outside of Texas but either has employment or goes to school in the state, they still need to register with a law enforcement authority where they will work or attend school.

The Texas Sex Offender Registration Program requires local law enforcement authorities to many kinds of information from a sex offender, including personal details, photographs, information about offenses for which sex offenders were convicted, employment information, online identity information, motor vehicle information, and other information required by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS).

Contact a Llano County Sex Crime Defense Lawyer 

When you are accused of any kind of sex offense in Texas, be sure to contact the Llano sex crime attorney at Law Office of Russ Alan Baker, PLLC. Our firm boasts more than 15 years of experience defending people against these types of charges. We understand how even allegations of sexual offenses can cause tremendous unease and difficulty in a person’s life, and we will do everything we can to help you regain a sense of normalcy. You can schedule a free consultation with our firm when you call 325-216-2006 or contact us online today.

Sources:

https://www.kvue.com/article/news/crime/llano-county-man-sentenced-violating-sex-offender-registration/269-f7f7b99f-c3b4-4a5f-a2f8-74b26b58e05c

https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/CR/htm/CR.62.htm