When Jacksonville criminal defendants plea guilty or no contest to any of the sex offenses listed in Florida Statute Section 794.011, 800.04, or 847.0135(5), they must register as Florida sex offenders twice a year. In Jacksonville, registering as a sex offender can be a tedious and embarrassing process. Jacksonville sex offenders have the obligation to register at least twice a year. They must register during their birth months and six months after that birth month. If a person does not register by the end of the required month, he or she can be charged with a third-degree felony. This is punishable by a maximum of five years in Florida State Prison. Additionally, as the Florida guidelines stand, a defendant charged with Failure to Register as a Sex Offender will score a minimum of 21 months. Thus, a Jacksonville sex offender is looking at a sentence of 21 to 60 months in the Florida State Prison.Florida's Romeo and Juliet Law can help some Jacksonville sex offenders. According to Florida Statute Section 943.04354, person charged under any of the Florida Statutes listed above can be removed from the Jacksonville sex offender registration requirement if the following criteria is met:
- he or she has never plea guilty or no contest to any other sex offense described in the statutes above;
- the only reason he or she must register is due to the violation in question;
- he or she is not more than 4 years older than the victim; and
- the victim was between 14 and 17 years old.
Contact a Jacksonville Sex Crimes Lawyer for information about Jacksonville sex offenses.
