Failure to Register as a Sex Offender in PA

What happens if you are convicted of a sex crime and fail to register as a sex offender in Pennsylvania?

Once convicted of a sex crime in Pennsylvania, part of the offender’s punishment is the requirement that he or she register as a sex offender.

Registering as a sex offender carries a social stigma that will limit where you are able to live and work and make it difficult to maintain friendships and build relationships.

While registering as a sex offender can be embarrassing and have devastating life consequences, failure to register is a felony that comes with very harsh penalties—including prison and fines.


CALL KETCHEL LAW TODAY:

412-456-1221 FOR A FREE CONSULTATION


SORNA / ADAM WALSH CHILD PROTECTION AND SAFETY ACT—MEGAN’S LAW IN PENNSYLVANIA

The Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act was signed into law by President George W. Bush in 2006. The act is also known as SORNA, or Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act. SORNA is a federal guideline that provides a set of standards for nationwide sex offender registration and notification in the United States.

SORNA is what created the national sex offender registry, while also organizing sex crimes into three tiers. The tiers are determined by the crime committed and are used for the purpose of streamlining the length of time by which offenders must register.

Pennsylvania’s sex offender registration process is known as Megan’s Law. In July 2012, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania made changes to Megan’s Law and the requirements for sex offender registration. The purpose of the changes was to make the existing registry compliant with SORNA.

In complying with SORNA, it is easier to track sex offenders across state lines and keep a nationwide sex offender registry. Making the transition to SORNA compliance not only increased the number of people included on the registry but also broadened the information that is required to be reported and increased the length of time sex offenders are required to register.

SEX OFFENDER REQUIREMENTS IN PENNSYLVANIA

Once you are required to register as a sex offender in Pennsylvania, you must provide accurate and truthful information—including updating any changes to the information provided immediately.

  • Name
  • Residence
  • Employment
  • School Attendance
  • Email addresses
  • Internet Identifiers
  • Telephone communications
  • Vehicle information

Each jurisdiction must keep a public sex offender registry website. The information contained in the website must be made public. It is not only the jurisdiction where the sex offender lives, but the offender must also register in any jurisdiction where he or she works or goes to school as well. Registration must take place before the offender is released from prison.

THREE-TIER CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM FOR SEX CRIMES

Depending on the severity of the sex crime committed, the offender will fall into one of three tiers. Lesser offenses begin at tier one and the most serious offenses are at tier three. The tiers categorize how long the offender must register for and how often they must appear in person for registration purposes.

The tiers for sex crime registry in Pennsylvania are categorized as follows:

  • Tier I offenders must register for:
    • A period of fifteen (15) years
    • Make an in-person appearance at least once per year
  • Tier II offenders must register for:
    • A period of twenty-five (25) years
    • Make an in-person appearance every six (6) months
  • Tier III offenders must register for:
    • Life
    • Make an in-person appearance every three (3) months

It is important to note that if a sex offender is listed as transient or has no home, they must register in person every month.

When Pennsylvania made changes to its sex offender registration protocol to be compliant with SORNA beginning December 20, 2012, it made all sex offenders comply with the new regulations. This caused many people to have to register for the first time or to continue registering for longer periods. Some offenders challenged the new registration requirements.

In July 2017 the Pennsylvania Supreme Court reviewed the challenge to SORNA. The Court ruled that the SORNA registration requirements are considered punitive when they are used retroactively. Therefore, if you are a person that was convicted before December 20, 2012, before the SORNA requirements took effect, and you were required to follow the new registration requirements, you could be entitled to a reduction or termination in registration time.

If you were charged with a sex crime, call the Pittsburgh Sex Crime Lawyers at Ketchel Law today for a free legal consultation.

We will fully investigate all aspects of your case, examining all angles and sparing no details. We will aggressively look for any way to have your sex offender registration minimized or terminated.


OUR NUMBER ONE GOAL:

TO HAVE YOUR SEX OFFENDER REGISTRATION MINIMIZED OR DISMISSED

CALL KETCHEL LAW TODAY:

412-456-1221 FOR A FREE CONSULTATION

We will fight aggressively to keep your name off of the national registry of sex offenders.

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We offer free legal consultations to anyone charged with a crime. Call us today to find out how we can help defend your rights.

Learn more about Ketchel Law and Sex Crime Laws in Pennsylvania:

Learn more about Ketchel Law:

Call Ketchel Law now for a free legal consultation at 412-456-1221.

OUR NUMBER ONE GOAL: GETTING YOUR CHARGES DISMISSED.

CALL KETCHEL LAW TODAY: 412-456-1221

FREE CONSULTATION