Failing to Register as a Sex Offender in San Diego

If you are convicted of a sex offense in San Diego you will likely be required to register as a sex offender for the rest of your life. For many people who have been convicted of a sex offense, this requirement is far more of a punishment than any of the multitude of judicial sanctions a judge may impose. Moreover, there are numerous reasons why you might not want to abide by the registration requirement; however, failing to register as a sex offender in San Diego is you are required to do so is a crime in and of itself.

California Penal Code 290 PC, which is commonly known as the California Sex Offender Registration Act, outlines exactly who is required to register as a sex offender in the state. In general, the ACT requires anyone who has been convicted of a sex crime and who plans to live in the state after serving his or her sentence for the crime to register with the local enforcement agency in the city or country where they plan to reside. Furthermore, a convicted sex offender is required to update the registration every year on his or her birthday OR when the offender chances residences.

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Unfortunately, having a sex offender status can cause a significant number of problems. Convicted sex offenders often have a difficult time obtaining employment, securing housing, or even living a peaceful life without threat of physical harm. Making the situation worse for an offender is the fact that the sex offender registry is public information, meaning that your neighbors can easily find out if you are a convicted sex offender.

It may be understandable, therefore, to want to avoid registration; however, you will face an additional period of incarceration if you fail to register as required. Penal Code 290 PC makes failing to register its own criminal offense in California punishable by up to an additional year in the county jail if the offense for which you were originally convicted was a misdemeanor. If the offense for which you were designated a sex offender was a felony sex crime, or if you have been convicted of failing to register before, you face up to three years in prison.

If you have any question as to your registration requirements, contact an experienced San Diego criminal defense attorney immediately to avoid facing an additional period of incarceration.

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Domenic Lombardo

Domenic J. Lombardo, Attorney at Law and a member of California Attorneys for Criminal Justice (CACJ), graduated from University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), earning a B.A. in Economics-Business, before graduating with his J.D. from University of California, Hastings School of Law. Mr. Lombardo has been practicing as a criminal defense lawyer in San Diego for nearly 30 years, having started at the San Diego Office of the Public Defender in 1991 and then opened the Law Office of Domenic J. Lombardo in early 1996 as a sole practitioner. His practice is dedicated entirely to the defense of individuals accused of crimes and university misconduct, including Title IX allegations. While Mr. Lombardo works as the primary attorney for all his cases, he does have a team of investigators, forensic consultants, and paralegals to call on to help achieve the best possible result in every case. When he is not working, Mr. Lombardo is a family man, triathlete, and world traveler.

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