If you have been convicted of a sex crime in North Carolina, you may be required to list your personal information on the sex crime registry. This process is not always easy to navigate, so it helps to have an experienced attorney to guide you through the process. Your criminal law attorney can help you properly register after your sex crimes conviction, ensuring that you comply with state mandates for registration.
Offenders who are residents of the state are required to register immediately upon conviction if they are not subject to prison or jail time. If the defendant has been convicted and sentenced to time in custody, that person has a three-day window for registration after they are released from the penal institution.
The registry is not only designed for those offenders who are North Carolina residents, however. If you move to the state with a “reportable conviction” on your record, you are required to register with the state within three business days of officially establishing residency — or after you have been in the state for 15 days, whichever is first. You must register with the sheriff who oversees the county in which you reside.
Further, even non-resident offenders may be required to submit to the sex crimes registry. College students and others who visit the state for professional purposes must register if they spend more than 30 days each calendar year in North Carolina. Again, registration for these individuals is overseen by the sheriff where the individual attends school or completes professional duties.
Offenders who fail to properly register after they have been convicted of a sex crime could face serious long-term consequences. Even an innocent mistake can lead to increased criminal penalties. Those who have been convicted of sex crimes would be wise to ensure compliance by confirming their actions with an experienced criminal defense attorney.
Source: North Carolina Department of Justice, “The North Carolina Sex Offender and Public Protection Registration Programs” Sep. 30, 2014