Wake County Men Seeking Removal from Sex Offender Registry

Being removed from North Carolina’s sex offender registry is probably top of mind for all those convicted of a sex offense and forced to register as a sex offender in our state, making it much more difficult to find gainful employment or a place to call home. Being removed from the list is difficult, but not impossible.

Currently, there are six men in Wake County, North Carolina petitioning or have recently petitioned to be removed from the registry. Being removed is not an altogether impossible feat. 700 sex offenders have been removed from our state’s registry in just the last four years. The process of getting removed often begins with the offender filing a petition for removal with the courts.

All offenders used to be removed automatically after 10 years until a 2006 law increased the requirements for removal beyond a simple 10-year limit since the sex offense. Now, if someone has been registered for more than 10 years, North Carolina may elect to take action in having the petitioning offender removed if the petitioning offender has met certain criteria and kept their record clean since the original incident.

Of the men seeking removal, one was denied, as he had been on the registry less than 10 years. Another was denied after 10 years for being charged again with indecent liberties with a minor in the last 10 years. Two others were denied in a recent decision in late February, one for having petitioned less than a year after being last denied and another for drivers’ license fraud and identity theft since registering as a sex offender.

The option to petition off the registry usually plays in favor of those convicted while barely 18 of having relations with a partner not significantly younger, where the relationship may have been consensual if not for the younger partner’s minor status.

Those removed from North Carolina’s sex offender registry cannot legally be tracked, and the public will not be informed of their whereabouts. There is currently no law requiring the state to notify victims once their perpetrator is removed from the registry.

Source: NBC17.com “6 Sex Offenders Living In Wake Co. Want Off Offender Registry” by Justin Quesinberry 3/4/11