Los Angeles Sex Crimes Attorney
Failure to Register as a Sex Offender
California Penal Code Sections 290 - 290.023 are the CA sex
offenders registration law which require a person convicted of certain
sex offenses to register with the police department in the area where
they either permanently or temporarily reside. After receiving a
conviction for a sex crime, such as child molestation, rape or child pornography,
the law requires that within 5 working days of being released from jail
or prison an individual must register as a sex offender – usually a
lifelong commitment. Following the initial registration, anytime a
registered sex offender moves, changes jobs, has a birthday or changes
his/her name, they must re-register within days of the event.
Failure to register as a sex offender is a separate criminal offense
from the underlying crime which caused an individual to be required to
register to begin with. If you are under investigation or have been
charged with failure to register as a sex offender, you need to consult
with a Los Angeles sex crimes defense attorney
as soon as possible. An experienced criminal defense attorney may
help someone accused of this crime to avoid the serious penalties
associated with a conviction. As an experienced criminal defense
lawyer, Robert M. Bernstein has seen the affects a failure to register
conviction can have on a person.
Failure to Register as a Sex Offender – Penalties in Los Angeles County
The crime of failure to register or re-register as a sex offender
may be either a misdemeanor or a felony offense based on the nature of
the original conviction. If the original crime one was convicted for
was a felony offense, the failure to register or re-register as a sex
offender may be a felony offense as well. If the original conviction
was for a misdemeanor, the failure to register or re-register may be
charged as a misdemeanor. A second charge of failure to register may be
charged as a felony regardless of the classification of the original
crime. A felony charge for a failure to register as a sex offender may
carry enhanced penalties if the original conviction was a strike under
California's three-strike law. If an individual already has two strikes
on their record, the failure to register may be charged as a third
strike, meaning the accused will face life in prison.
Your defense lawyer can help you avoid a felony charge for a failure
to register or re-register as a sex offender by working with law
enforcement agents and the prosecution. There may have been a valid
reason for the failure, or you may have been falsely accused of failing
to register. Whatever the particular situation, by consulting a Los
Angeles sex crimes attorney, you can find out how you can fight these
accusations or charges.
Los Angeles Sex Crime Defense Lawyer
The Law Offices of Robert M. Bernstein are located in Beverly Hills,
California, and sex crime defense lawyer Robert M. Bernstein represents
clients accused of the failure to register as a sex offender
throughout Los Angeles and the state of California. We offer a free
consultation to discuss your charges and see how we can help.
Contact Los Angeles sex crimes attorney Robert M. Bernstein today!