Failure to Register as a Sex Offender in Campbell County
Understanding Wyoming’s Sex Offender Laws
In the state of Wyoming, anyone convicted of specific sex crimes is required to register as a sex offender. The Wyoming Sex Offender Registry is a public, online database that anyone can access. Being required to register on this list can result in a serious invasion of privacy, denial of certain jobs, and only being allowed to live in certain areas. In addition, failing to register as a sex offender is a crime on its own that can result in serious consequences.
If you are being charged with failing to register as a sex offender, it is important to talk to a lawyer as soon as possible. Sometimes these cases are the result of a clerical error, but you should always take a charge seriously. In addition to defending you against failure to register charges, the Campbell County sex crime attorneys at Steven Titus & Associates, P.C., may also be able to have you removed from the registry altogether. To discuss your case in a free consultation, call our office at (307) 257-7800.
What Charges Require Registration as a Sex Offender?
Following a conviction for certain sex crimes in the state of Wyoming, a defendant may be required to register as a sex offender. Being labeled a sex offender is a lifetime punishment on top of serving a prison sentence and paying court fines. Given that most sex crimes in Wyoming are felonies, this means you could not only have to serve a long prison sentence and pay a hefty fine, but also have to suffer public contempt for your charges well after you get out of prison.
According to the Wyoming Sex Offender Act, the types of charges that require a defendant to register as a sex offender include:
- Sexual assault
- Sexual abuse of a minor
- Solicitation of a minor
- Possession of child pornography
- Kidnapping, if the victim was a minor
- Voyeurism, if the victim was a minor
- Public indecency, if the victim was a minor
- Human trafficking
What Information Do You Have To Provide?
When someone is required to register as a sex offender, he is required to submit specific information to the register as well as the local sheriff’s office. This typically occurs after a defendant has completed his prison sentence and before he is released from custody, but if someone does not serve any time for a conviction, he or she must register immediately after sentencing. While some of this information is confidential to the registry, the majority of it is available to the public and can be looked up online.
To register as a sex offender in Wyoming, you will be:
- Photographed
- Fingerprinted
- Palmprinted
In addition, you must provide the following information to the registry and the sheriff’s office:
- Name
- Address
- Date and place of birth
- Social security number
- Place and physical address of employment
- Date and place of conviction
- Crime for which you were convicted
- The name and address of any school you are attending
- License plate number and a description of your vehicle
- A DNA sample
- The age of each victim
- Email address
- Phone numbers
You are also required to update this information with the central registry and the sheriff’s office within three working days if you ever move, change your name, or modify any other information listed above. After July 1, 2017, all sex offenders must pay specific fees to update their information, including their legal name, address, place of employment, school, and volunteer center, as well as vehicle, phone number, and online information (emails, social media, etc.) if you are attending school. These fees are updated every few years, but it is currently $31.25 for Wyoming residents and $100.00 for people who move to Wyoming.
Consequences of Not Registering
If you do not register within the required time limit or your information is inaccurate, you can be charged with a felony. This can result in imprisonment in a Wyoming state prison and a massive court fine. Your punishment can also increase drastically if you have a prior conviction for failing to register.
Failure to register as a sex offender in Wyoming for the first offense can result in:
- Up to five years in a Wyoming state prison; and/or
- Up to a $1,000 fine.
If this is your second offense, you can receive:
- Up to 10 years in a Wyoming state prison; and/or
- Up to a $1,000 fine.
It is important to note that these penalties are not set in stone. With the right attorney, you can fight to have these charges reduced or dropped. But first, you will need to reach out to Steven Titus & Associates, P.C., to discuss your case and learn how we can defend you.
Can You Be Removed From the Registry?
Being placed on the Wyoming Sex Offender Registry is a lifetime sentence in most cases, and defendants are required to frequently update their record as their contact information or address changes. However, there are ways to petition the court to have your name removed from the registry. This will all depend on the nature of your case and the circumstances of your conviction, but it is not impossible.
If someone has been registered as a sex offender for at least 10 years and has maintained a clean record, then he or she can petition the district court to be relieved of having to register, but only for the following crimes:
- Public indecency
- Third-degree sexual abuse of a minor
- Sexual exploitation
- Voyeurism
- Kidnapping of a minor
- Being a juvenile at the time of conviction of a more serious sex crime.
For more serious crimes, someone may be relieved of having to register as a sex offender if he has been registered for at least 25 years and has maintained a clean record during that period.
If you are in either of those two categories, you should speak to an attorney about your options. Having your name removed from the registry is a difficult process and requires the legal representation of a skilled attorney.
How a Gillette Sex Crime Defense Lawyer Can Help
The rules and regulations around the Wyoming Sex Offender Registry are extremely complicated, and it is easy for someone to make an error and end up back on the wrong side of the law. When that does occur, remember that you always have a right to an attorney and should not hesitate to call Steven Titus & Associates, P.C. Our Gillette criminal defense attorneys believe that everyone deserves fair representation, especially when they are facing serious charges. We can review your case in a free consultation and provide the strong legal representation you need. To get started on your case, call Steven Titus & Associates, P.C., at (307) 257-7800.
Call Steven Titus & Associates, P.C. at (307) 257-7800 for strong legal defense if you've been charged with a serious crime.
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