Charged with Failure to Register as a Sex Offender or Violation of Your Restrictions as a Registered Texas’ Sex Offender?
Contact Jack B. Carroll & Associates Now
If you were arrested for failure to register as a sex offender or a violation of restrictions as a registered Texas sex offender and need an experienced Houston criminal defense lawyer to represent you or give you legal advice, contact Attorney Jack B. Carroll at 713-228-4607.
Those convicted of a sex crime in Texas must register as a sex offender with the law enforcement agency in the county in which they live. This is a mandatory requirement for all sex offenders. Those who fail to register as a sex offender when, or anytime after, they are released from prison in Texas can be charged with a Third-degree felony: punishable by between two and 10 years in prison and a possible fine of up to $10,000.
Immediately after someone is released from prison for a qualifying sex crime, they must register as a sex offender. There are three classifications: lifetime, a 10 year, or juvenile registration; whichever is required based on the sex crime for which they are convicted. People who are saddled with lifetime registration must satisfy registry requirements until the day they die. Those with a 10-year registration requirement, including juvenile sex offenders, can be free of this restriction after that time.
Sex offender registration can involve many conditions. They are dictated primarily by the court or presiding judge in which the suspect was convicted, or parole board at the time of the prisoner’s release. These conditions vary based on the individual offender. Many (but not all) of these restrictions govern:
- Where the registrant can live and work
- Places they may and may not frequent (like types of restaurants, parks, and other entertainment venues)
- Counties and states they can visit (other than the one in which they are registered, and how long they can remain out of their registered county)
- And whom they may contact or associate with
Other unique limitations can be added based on specific circumstances surrounding the registrant’s criminal case or its disposition.
Innocent People Are Often Accused of Sex Registry Violations
Being Innocent Won’t Stop the State of Texas
Houston Sex Offender Registration Attorney
If you were arrested for failure to register as a sex offender or a violation of the conditions of being a registered sex offender and need an experienced Houston sex crime lawyer to represent you or give you legal advice, contact Attorney Jack B. Carroll at 713-228-4607.
But Wait, There’s More
Convicted Sex Offenders, You Lose Some of their Constitutional Rights
Restrictions are also placed on several of your civil rights and activities such as:
- Your right to vote – While incarcerated in prison you lose the right to vote. But upon your release, you again have that right.
- You cannot hold public office – If you are convicted of any felony you may not run for or hold public office without a full pardon from the Governor of Texas.
- You cannot serve on a jury – Convicted felons lose the right to serve on any jury for the rest of their lives.
- You lose the right to bear arms – This restriction lasts for five years after release from prison. And it can last longer if you do not go through the process of having your gun rights restored. But even then you can only possess firearms in your residence, and may not carry a gun beyond your residential property.
And as a Convicted Felon…
There Are Many Jobs Unavailable to You
Those who are convicted of serious criminal charges – and being convicted of any sex-related crime in Texas is indeed grave – are right to be very concerned about the effect their conviction has on their professional lives. With many occupations, a conviction can result in their professional licenses being suspended or even permanently revoked.
In Texas, about a third of all “professional” jobs are licensed, meaning there are fewer opportunities for those with a criminal past to keep the good-paying work they love to do. Most professional agencies in Texas can prevent convicted criminals from holding professional licenses for periods ranging from a few years, after which petition for reinstatement is allowed (but stringently reviewed before it is granted), to a lifetime.
Texas Occupations Code § 53.021 gives licensing authorities the power to “suspend or revoke a license, disqualify a person from receiving a license, or deny a person the opportunity to take a licensing examination” in any of the occupations below if the person was convicted of a sex offense.
- Athletic Trainers
- Attorneys
- Court Reporters & Stenographers
- Teachers
- Securities Dealers
- Investment Advisors
- Interpreters for The Deaf
- Chiropractors
- Opticians
- Professional Counselors
- Architects
- Interior Designers
- Landscape Architects
- Occupational Therapists
- Professional Engineers
- Land Surveyors
- Firefighters
- Law Enforcement Officers
- Child Care Administrators
- Private Investigators
- Barbers
- Security Guards
- Emergency Medical Technicians
- Pawnbrokers
- Real Estate Brokers
- Real Estate Sales Agents
- Real Estate Inspectors
- Dentists
- Dental Hygienists
- Psychologists
- Physicians
- Pharmacists
- Plumbers
- Certified Public Accountants
- Social Workers
- Veterinarians
Although there may be exceptions depending on the crime for which the suspect was convicted, all of the professions listed above certainly take a dim view of any convicted sex offender. They could legally deny the granting of a professional license based on their individual licenses’ morals clauses.
From living with the stigma of being branded a sex offender, to losing some of your constitutional rights, to being denied the right to be professionally employed, being convicted of any sex-related offense, misdemeanor or felony, is a weight you must bear for the rest of your life.
If you were charged with failure to register as a sex offender, experienced Houston criminal defense lawyer Jack B. Carroll will represent you. Contact Attorney Jack B. Carroll & Associates for a private consultation anytime at 713-228-4607.