Those convicted of sex offenses in California or elsewhere in the United States often have to register as sex offenders in their respective jurisdictions. If they move, they have to abide by the sex offender registry requirements of the jurisdiction they are moving to. A recent high profile case highlighted the dangers of not registering as a sex offender after moving. At Okabe & Haushalter, our Los Angeles sex crimes attorneys want to discuss this case with you.
While not everybody keeps up with celebrity news, it may have caught your attention that last week Kenneth Petty was arrested on federal charges after failing to register as a sex offender in California. Petty, the husband of Nicki Minaj, has since officially taken care of the matter.
Petty is required to register as a sex offender as a result of a 1995 conviction in New York of attempted rape in the first degree. The conviction stems from an attempt to rape a 16-year-old girl, according to the court case documents. Police state that Petty used a “knife/cutting instrument” in an attempt to coerce the girl into sex. As a result of his conviction, Petty is classified as a Level 2 sex offender on the US Department of Justice’s website.
The federal charges against Petty were not the first step taken against him concerning this matter. In November 2019, Petty was arrested after a traffic stop in Beverly Hills when police noticed that he was not registered as a sex offender in California. Federal authorities only pressed charges after he did not remedy the issue. Petty has now registered in California and the Los Angeles District Attorney’s office dropped the charges against him. It is unclear whether federal authorities will also drop their charges in the case.
There are more registered sex offenders in California than in any other state. More than 100,000 people are currently registered. This is one of four states to require lifetime registration, though this state has taken steps to allow many sex offenders to petition for removal from both public and private registries provided they have not committed another serious or violent felony or sex crime.
While this may be a high profile case, it should be noted that recidivism rates for sex offenders are lower than that of the general criminal population. Despite popular belief, those convicted of a sex crime are not more likely to re-offend than those convicted of any other crime.
If you or somebody you love is facing a sex crime charge, or a charge for failing to register as a sex offender, seek legal assistance immediately. At Okabe & Haushalter, our knowledgeable and experienced team will get to work investigating your case. Our goal will be to provide you with the best defense possible in an effort to get the charges against you reduced or dismissed altogether. When you need a Los Angeles sex crime attorney, you can contact us today by calling 310-430-7799 for a free consultation.
