Tampa Registration as a Sex Offender or Sexual Predator Lawyer

Registration as a Sex Offender or Sexual Predator Attorney in Tampa, FL

Florida has tough laws related to sex crimes. Many people are reluctant to register as sex offenders or sexual predators, but in Florida, you are required to register if you have been convicted of a sex crime. Failing to comply with the registration requirement can result in more jail or prison time. Within 48 hours of being released from prison or relocating in Tampa, people to whom Florida Statute section 943.0435 applies must register as a sex offender or sexual predator. At Hanlon Law, Tampa sex crime lawyer Will Hanlon can provide knowledgeable legal advice and representation in connection with sex crime charges and the sex offender registration requirement.

Under Florida Statute section 943.0435, a sexual offender is somebody who has been convicted of certain sex crimes in Florida or some other jurisdiction. Convictions that qualify you to register if you are an adult include sexual battery, kidnapping of a minor, prohibited sexual misconduct, luring a child, human trafficking, unlawful sexual activity with certain minors, selling a minor into sex trafficking, procuring a minor for prostitution, lewd or lascivious offenses involving people under 16 years old, video voyeurism involving a minor, sexual performance by a child, computer pornography, transmission of child pornography, transmission of material harmful to minors by electronic device, selling or purchasing underage people, racketeering that involves a sexual offense, and violations of similar laws in other jurisdictions when other criteria are met. For this statute to apply, a person whose conviction qualifies must have been released on or after October 1, 1997 from the punishment that was imposed.

"Sexual predators" is a designation for people who have been convicted of a sexually violent offense and also have been designated as sexual predators by written court order or civilly committed under the Jimmy Ryce Sexually Violent Predator Act if the court has designated them as such in writing. Sexual predators register under the requirements of a different code section.

Forty-eight hours after establishing residence in Florida, being released from prison, or being convicted for a qualifying offense if they were not imprisoned or jailed, a sex offender is supposed to report in person at the sheriff's office to register.

Registration requires you to give your name, date of birth, race, sex, social security number, eye color, hair color, height, weight, tattoos, palm prints, photo, employment information, address, vehicle identification information, email addresses and Internet identifiers, date and place of conviction, and a description of the crimes that you have committed, as well as other information. You are also supposed to give any information about professional licenses that you might have and any institutions of higher learning with which you are affiliated.

Within 48 hours of having any change in the vehicles that you have reported as part of your registration, you are supposed to report the changes to the sheriff's office. Similarly, if you make a change to your residential address or other identifying information like your phone number, you must report the change within 48 hours.

The sheriff is supposed to take a photo, fingerprint you, and take palm prints. This information is forwarded to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE).

Within the same 48-hour period, you need to report to the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles and get or secure an identification card. You will need to identify yourself as a sex offender, give certain information, and submit to having your photo taken.

Sex offenders who do not comply with the registration requirements are in danger of being charged for a felony of the third degree. Simply registering after you have been arrested or arraigned for not registering will not be considered a defense.

With some exceptions, sex offenders are supposed to keep their registration for their whole life unless they have gotten a full pardon or had their conviction set aside in a post-conviction proceeding. However, in certain limited situations, you can be considered for removal from the registration requirement.

If you need to register as a sex offender in Tampa, you need to take the requirements related to registration seriously. It can be helpful to discuss your situation with an attorney and seek legal advice or representation related both to a charge of a sex crime and to any requirements if you are convicted. Our founder, Will Hanlon, provides a tough, aggressive defense to people accused of sex crimes. He strives to provide responsive and personalized representation. Call Hanlon Law at 813-228-7095 or use our online form to set up an appointment if you need a rape defense lawyer or representation in fighting other sex crime charges.