On Friday, the Ohio Supreme Court upheld a 3 year + 9 month sentence in a Knox County case that sets a precedent for sex offender registration violations. Prosecutor McConville argued the case in July, and the Court issued its opinion last week. The case, State v. Ashcraft, means that repeat violators of Ohio’s sex offender registration law are subject to a sentence for the violation itself and an additional three-year sentence for the repeat violation.
By a 5-2 vote, the Court stated that the plain language of the statute allows the imposition of both penalties.
“The sex offender registration law is fairly easy for offenders to follow,” Prosecutor McConville said. “It is surprising, however, that certain offenders just can’t seem to report their information. The Supreme Court has affirmed our strict interpretation of this law.”
If you are aware of sex offenders who are not complying with their registration requirements, contact the Knox County Sheriff’s Office at (740) 397-3333.
