Petersen Law was voted Best of Omaha for 2018 for the 7th year in a row. Each year, consumers in Omaha vote for their favorite businesses. Tom Petersen received the Best Attorney-DUI award. Thank you Omaha!
Thomas M. Petersen was selected as one of the top 50 DUI Lawyers in Nebraska for the 5th year in a row by the National Advocacy for DUI Defense.
Tom Peterson was selected as a Top 100 Trial Lawyer by The National Trial Lawyers. Top 100 is an invitation-only organization composed of the premier trial lawyers from each state or region who meet stringent qualifications as civil plaintiff and/or criminal defense trial lawyers.
Tom Petersen is a participating member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. The NACDL is the foremost legal fraternity on criminal defense.
If you have been convicted of a crime which is considered a sex crime in the State of Nebraska, you need to know how the sex offender registry requirements will affect you. It is important to make sure you understand the law and which rules you need to follow so you don’t end up in serious trouble. You could be required to register in Nebraska even if you don’t live here if you go to school here, work here, or carry on a vocation here. An experienced lawyer can make sure you know what to do. With that in mind, an experienced Nebraska sex crimes lawyer explains the Sex Offender Registry requirements.
The Sex Offender Registry
In Nebraska, the Nebraska State Patrol, Sex Offender Registry Division of Investigative Services, is responsible for oversight of the Sex Offender Registry. The law creating the Sex Offender Registry originally took effect January 1, 1997, so any convictions before that will not be affected by the Sex Offender Registry. As of April 2016, there were 5,100 people on the Nebraska Sex Offender Registry. The United States Department of Justice also maintains a national sex offender registry.
Which Crimes Make Someone Eligible to Be on the Sex Offender Registry?
Both misdemeanor and felony criminal convictions can require someone to register as a sex offender. The list of offenses that may require an offender to register is long with crimes ranging from Non-Parental Kidnapping of a Minor and Sexual Assault, to Child Enticement by Means of a Computer and Incest. Furthermore, the registration requirements changed as of January 1, 2010, allowing for additional offenses to require registration upon order of the judge. For example, Murder, Assault in the First or Second Degree, Stalking, and Kidnapping of someone of any age may now also require registration.
How Long Do You Have to Register?
If you were convicted of a crime not punishable by more than one year, you will be required to register for 15 years. Most other crimes will require you to register for 25 years. However, there are circumstances under which you can be required to register for life. For instance, you can be required to register for life if you have a prior sex offense conviction, or if you have been determined to be a lifetime registrant in another state, territory, or foreign jurisdiction.
If you are required to register but do not, that time you are not registered does not count as completed registration time. For instance, if you are required to register for 15 years but do not register for the first three years, the time will start when you finally do register.
What Happens When You Move?
If you move from one place to another, you are required to notify the appropriate authority, usually with three working days. The registration form has your name, address, telephone number, physical description, vehicle description, and other information. Failing to register a new address within the required time frame can have serious consequences.
What Is the Punishment for Failing to Register?
Failing to register is a serious crime which can lead to imprisonment, probation, fines and other punishments. Any person who is required to register who fails to do so is committing a Class IV felony. The maximum term of imprisonment in Nebraska for a Class IV felony is two years. If a person has already been convicted of violating the sex offender registry law and is convicted again, the minimum sentence is one year in prison. The only exception is if the original sex crime was a misdemeanor, and then the crime will still be a Class IV felony.
Can I Cut Down the Amount of Time I Am Required to Register?
Under certain circumstances, an offender who is required to register for 15 years can cut down the time to ten years. To be eligible, you must finish your sentence completely, and not earn new sex convictions during the time period. You must then can appeal to the Nebraska State Patrol.
How Can an Experienced Sex Crimes Lawyer Help?
If you were found guilty at trial, or pleaded guilty to a crime which can be considered a sex crime, an experienced sex crimes lawyer can help you understand your rights and responsibilities so you can avoid more entanglement with the law.
Contact Us
If you have been convicted of a sex crime in the State of Nebraska it is certainly in your best interest to consult with an experienced Nebraska sex crimes lawyer right away to discuss your rights and responsibilities. In Nebraska contact Petersen Criminal Defense Law 24 hours a day at 402-509-8070 to discuss your case with an experienced criminal defense attorney.
Tom Petersen
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