Of all criminal offenses in Texas, many sex crimes are considered among the most heinous. Most are felonies, which means a defendant convicted of a sex crime is likely to face years in prison and thousands of dollars in fines.
These penalties, however, aren’t the only ones someone can face. The court can also sentence a convicted person to register as a sex offender for 10 years or life, depending on their conviction.
What Is the Texas Sex Offender Registry?
The Texas sex offender registry is a publicly accessible database of information about people who were convicted of sex crimes and required to register as sex offenders. This database retains different kinds of biographical data about a convicted sex offender, such as their name, aliases they use, a physical description, their current address, and the nature of their criminal convictions.
Who Is Required to Register as a Sex Offender in Texas?
People who must register as sex offenders in Texas are those who were convicted of one or more of the nearly two dozen sex crimes that require sex offender registration.
As previously mentioned, sex offender registration can be required for 10 years or for life. How long someone is required to register as a sex offender depends on the nature of their conviction.
Sex crimes that convey a 10-year sex offender registration requirement include the following:
- Indecency with a child in a manner that doesn’t require lifetime registration
- Online solicitation of a minor
- Prostitution
- Second or subsequent offense of indecent exposure
- Unlawful restraint, kidnapping, or aggravated kidnapping of a victim, or intended victim, younger than 17
- Conspiracy, attempt, or solicitation to commit any of these offenses
Most other sex crimes require lifetime registration, such as these:
- Aggravated kidnapping with intent to sexually violate or abuse the victim
- Any manner of indecency with a young child if the convicted person is already required to register as a sex offender
- Burglary, if committed with intent to commit a sex crime
- Compelling prostitution (“pimping”)
- Continuous sexual abuse of a young child or children
- Human trafficking
- Indecency with a young child
- Obscenity (possessing, promoting, and/or producing certain obscene material)
- Possessing, distributing, and/or producing child pornography
- Sexual assault
- Aggravated sexual assault
- Sexual performance by a child
- Unlawful restraint, kidnapping, or aggravated kidnapping if the victim was younger than 17 and the convicted person is already required to register as a sex offender
Are You Facing Sex Crime Charges? We Can Help.
If you are facing sex crime charges, your life can be radically altered by a conviction. Being a registered sex offender means that you’ll face limitations on where you can live, work, and even travel. You may also experience unfavorable treatment by those in your community who become aware of your sex offender status.
Avoiding these consequences is possible when you have adequate legal counsel to help you build your defense. If you believe you were unfairly accused or inappropriately charged with a sex crime, our attorneys can offer the legal support you need most at this time.
Learn more during an initial consultation. Contact Rodriguez & Gimbert, P.L.L.C. online now to get started.