One of the many aspects of being on Michigan’s sex offender registry that people often don’t take into account, is the restrictions it puts on your daily life. In addition to the fact that your personal information and criminal history is available to the public, there are several restrictions that you will be required to follow. Restrictions that could get you into a lot of trouble, if you are ever caught breaking the rules.
Just days ago, Marvin Germain, who currently lives in the state of Illinois but was previously convicted of a sex crime in Michigan, was arrested for being at an elementary school. Although Germain was just pulling up to the school to pick up his girlfriend’s daughter, it was automatically assumed that he was there in an effort to break the law as well. Because believe it or not, that’s one of the many restrictions that being a registered sex offender brings – the inability to be within a certain distance of a school.
An anonymous tip alerted South Roxana, Illinois, police that Germain was at the school, and that he was a sex offender. South Roxana police reached out to Michigan State Police and asked about Germain. MSP told them that Germain was considered to be a ‘non-compliant’ sex offender, and as a result he was arrested and charged with “unlawful presence in a school zone by a child sex offender.”
In addition to the charges he is facing in Illinois, Germain is also facing drunk driving charges in Michigan. However, his biggest issue lies in the fact that Illinois state law requires that he register as a sex offender in their state as well, because he was convicted here in Michigan. The 1991 charge that put him on the list will follow him everywhere and taint every interaction he has for the rest of his life.
This is just one of the many examples we read about in the news and hear about from our clients every day. People whose lives have become unbearable because that one mistake, that one stupid choice they made decades ago, has labelled them forever. Unsurprisingly, this can be even worse than prison. Once you are released, once you have paid your debt to society, you should be able to start rebuilding your life. Unless, of course, your crime was sexual in nature. Then the punishment continues for years after your release.
According to MSP, a non-compliant ex offender is anyone who does any of the following:
- Fails to register
- Fails to change their address when they move or vacate a residence
- Fails to verify their address
- Fails to pay the $50 one-time registration fee and/or $50 annual fee
- Fails to sign a registration, notification, or verification form
- Fails to provide or update campus information
- Fails to provide or update vehicle information
- Fails to provide or update employment information
- Fails to provide name change
- Fails to report email address(es) and/or internet identifiers
- Fails to maintain a valid Michigan driver’s license or personal identification card
- Resides, works, or loiters within 1,000 feet of a school
Being a registered sex offender in Michigan is very restrictive, and comes with lots of regulations you will be required to follow. Not following the requirements will result in you being labelled non-compliant, which means that an arrest warrant could be authorized for your arrest.
We cannot stress this enough – the best way to avoid being put on the Michigan sex offender registry is to have an aggressive, experienced defense attorney on your side from the earliest possible moment. At the Kronzek Firm, we have over 100 years of combined experience, and have obtained many successful case results on our client’s’ behalf. We practice throughout Michigan defending people accused of sex related crimes. Call us today at 866 766 5245. We are here to help you.