Texas Sex Offender Registration

The state of Texas has stiff penalties for all crime, and sexual offenses are no exception. There are numerous sexual offenses that require mandatory sex offender registration and it is a felony offense when a person who is required to register, fails to comply with any of the requirements under the Texas Sex Offender Registration Program.

Any individual who has been convicted of a "reportable conviction or adjudication" is required to register as a sex offender. There are a wide variety of sexual offenses that would fall under this heading such as: sexual assault, aggravated sexual assault, compelling (forcing or causing) prostitution, indecency with a child, possessing or promoting child pornography, aggravated kidnapping (with the intention of sexually violating the victim) and many more other sexual offenses.

Sex Offenders are required to register with their local law enforcement authority, where they reside. In addition, if the sex offender was convicted of a sex crime in another state, this can give cause for him to register in the state of Texas, that is, if the elements of the crime were akin to Texas sex offenses that require sex offender registration. Sex offenders are required to register either by the first date the local law enforcement authority or municipality allows or no later than the seventh day after the offender arrived in the county or municipality.

What Happens After Mandatory Registration?

Once a sex offender registers, that local authority will become their primary registration authority. They will be required to register for either 10 years or for the life. In addition, the sex offender will be required to provide:

• Their full name, each alias
• Date of birth, sex, race, height, weight, eye color, hair color
• Social security number, driver's license number, shoe size and home address
• Recent color photograph
• Complete set of finger prints
• All details of the offense they were convicted for

Once the registration is complete, local law enforcement will maintain that information, and it will provide the necessary notification to local schools and the Texas Department of Public Safety, which will then impute that information into the DPS Sex Offender Database.

If you have been arrested for a sex crime, a Houston criminal defense attorney from The Martinez Law Firm can help. We understand the sensitivity and the gravity of sex crime charges and we will work aggressively in order to protect your constitutional rights.

Contact a Houston Sex Crime Lawyer at The Martinez Law Firm today for a free case evaluation.