25-Year-Old Man Wanted in Arizona Arrested in LA for Failing to Register as a Sex Offender

A 25-year-old man was arrested in Los Angeles recently for failing to register as a sex offender. According to a San Francisco Chronicle report, the man, a sex offender from Maricopa County in Arizona, was wanted for probation and failure to register as a sex offender. Officials say he was convicted in 2005 for kidnapping and sexual conduct with a minor. The man was apparently placed on Maricopa County Probation’s list of Top 10 Sex Offender Absconders in 2009 after he failed to update his registration.

California Penal Code Section 290 requires convicted sex offenders in California to register with their local law enforcement agency annually. Sex offenders are also required under the law to update their registration when they move. They are required to do so within five days of the move. In addition, those attending school must register with the chief of police of the college campus. If convicted of failing to register as a sex offender, a defendant may face up to one year in county jail if the original crime was a misdemeanor and up to three years in state prison if the original crime was a felony. A conviction for failure to register may also become a strike under the California Three Strikes Law.

If you have been charged with failure to register as a sex offender in Los Angeles, please contact the Los Angeles sex crimes defense lawyers at Sitkoff & Hanrahan at 866-430-8383. Very often, we find that these charges stem from the fact that the defendant did not know they had to register. Remember, the penalties of failing to register can be severe and life-changing. Call us today to find out how we can help you.