Sex Crimes Lawyers in Harrisburg

Helping You Understand SORNA & the Adam Walsh Act

When a person is convicted of a sex crime, they are typically required to register as a sex offender as part of their punishment. The Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act is a federal statute which was signed in 2006. This act increased registration requirements for sex offenders and created a national sex offender registry that organized sex offender data on the internet. It also created a federal felony offense for those who fail to adhere to Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA) requirements to register as a sex offender. At Shaffer & Engle, we work with clients who have been accused of sex crimes as well as those charged with violating SORNA requirements.

How Does the Adam Walsh Act Affect Registration?

This act serves to organize sex offenders into three tiers and regulates how offenders must register their information after a conviction. If offenders fail to update their information or register, they may be charged with a felony offense. Currently, eight states in the United States are in compliance with the Adam Walsh Act, including Pennsylvania.

Registration requirements are organized into three main categories:

• Tier III: Offenders in the most serious tier, Tier III, adhere to lifetime registration requirements, including updating their location every three months. This category includes non-parental kidnapping of a minor child, sexual acts with a child under 12 years old, and sex acts with someone who was rendered unconscious or couldn't consent.
• Tier II: Tier II offenders are required to have 25 years of registration and to update their whereabouts every 6 months. This category may include crimes such as those involving minors in sexual contact, using a minor in a sexual performance or prostitution, and the production of child pornography.
• Tier I: Tier I offenders have 15 years of registration with updates required every year. This category includes less severe crimes which do not fall under either Tier II or Tier III.

Have You Been Charged with a Sex Crime?

With the changes made to the Adam Walsh Act, the consequences you may face as a sex offender could significantly increase. If you were charged with a sex crime or have already been convicted of a sex crime, sex offender registry terms may be confusing. If you are facing charges for a sex crime, you are looking at the possibility of decades of reporting, restrictions on where you can work and live, and a tarnished reputation. At Shaffer & Engle, we help clients who have been charged with sex crimes, relentlessly fighting for your rights and future.