Anyone who has been charged with a sex offense in West Virginia will want to learn about the potential consequences of the charges they face. One of the consequences may be the requirement to register as a sex offender. The West Virginia Code explains that a person may be required to register for 10 years or for life depending on the details of their case.
Through the state’s Sex Offender Registry program, people can go to the West Virginia State Police website and search for program participants in a variety of ways. They may search by last name, street name, online identity name, email address, county or city. In addition, people can filter search results by registrants deemed wanted or sexually violent.
People who are convicted of select offenses may have to register but so too might some defendants who are found not guilty if they are found not guilty by reason of a mental retardation, mental illness or an addiction. Offenses that lead to registrations after a conviction and come with the designation of being a sexually violent predator include first degree sexual abuse, first and second degree sexual assault and sexual assault of a spouse.
The sex offender registry program collects a myriad of information from participants including their Social Security number, full name, nicknames, aliases, vehicle details, online identities, phone numbers, driver’s license and passport details, professional licenses held and a description of the offense for which they have been required to register. Persons deemed sexually violent will also have identifying physical characteristics included in their registry data.