Failure to Register as a Sex Offender

Failure to Register as a Sex Offender is a Crime in Nevada (NRS 179D.550)

It can be tempting to avoid registering as a sex offender if a Nevada court has made this part of your sentence. Unlike other crimes that allow you to move on with your life after serving your time and meeting other requirements, sex offenses can continue to haunt you long after the case is closed because of the registry.

If you have been arrested for failure to register as a sex offender when a court has required you to do so, contact a LV sex crimes attorney as soon as possible to avoid serious penalties which can include more jail time in a Nevada prison.

When is it a crime to fail to register as a sex offender in Las Vegas?

There are four instances when it may be a felony to fail to register with the authorities as a sex offender:

• If you are required to register as a sex offender as part of your sentence, and you do not do so within 48 hours of getting out of jail;
• If you move, change your name, or leave the state for more than 30 days and fail to notify the authorities of your new information;
• If you do not complete an annual form that notifies authorities of your activities and whereabouts; or
• You provide false information to the authorities.

This is a “strict liability” offense, which means that it does not matter if you purposefully avoided registration or simply missed the deadline for example. Keeping up on your registration as required by the court is very important. If you fulfill your obligations, you have a chance of de-registering in the future.

What is the penalty for failing to register as a sex offender in Nevada?

Failing to register the first time is a Category D felony. Category D felonies carry 1 to 4 years in a Nevada prison and up to $5,000 in fines. If you have already been convicted of a felony offense for a sex crime, it can already be difficult enough to find employment. Another felony and expensive fines like these are not worth it. If you are required to register, just do it. There is a small possibility that you can be put on probation for your first offense, but it is not worth the risk.

If you fail to register a second time within 7 years from your first conviction, the penalty increases to a Category C felony. This carries 1 to 5 years in prison and up to $10,000 in fines. The judge will not and cannot grant probation for a second offense of failure to register as a sex offender in Nevada.