3-18-2009 Virgin Islands:ST THOMAS, USVI: Agents of the Special Investigations Division of the US Virgin Islands Department of Justice in a joint operation with the US Marshal Service executed a federal warrant on Saturday, March 14, 2009 for the arrest of 42 year old Andrew D. Easton of Atlanta, Georgia.
Easton, a convicted sex offender in Fulton County, Georgia was apprehended at about 6:30 a.m. Saturday at his residence in the Smith Bay (east end) area of St Thomas. The warrant for Easton’s arrest was issued by District Court Judge George Cannon on Friday March 13, 2009, and charges Easton with “failure to register under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA) in St Thomas United States Virgin Islands, in violation of Title 18, United States Code Section 2250.”
Attorney General Vincent Frazer said, “By failing to notify the state of Georgia of his intent to move to the jurisdiction of the US Virgin Islands, in addition to failing to register his name on the US Virgin Islands Sexual Registry maintained by the US Virgin Islands Department of Justice, Easton is in direct violation of SORNA, a major component of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006."
"Easton entered the territory of the US Virgin Islands on or about December 1, 2008, however he failed to submit his name to the local registry until March 5, 2009, which was months beyond the required deadline,” Frazer added.
Under SORNA, a sex offender is required to register within three business days after changing his or her place of residence. Title 14 of the V.I.Code § 1724 (a)(4) requires a person moving to the US Virgin Islands to register within five days of first residing in the territory.
Easton’s travel across state lines triggered the application of the federal statute, SORNA, and the jurisdiction of the US Marshal Service. Easton was convicted of child molestation in Fulton County, Georgia in February, 1996, and was first entered onto the sex offender registry in Georgia upon his release from prison in July 1998.
VI District Court Magistrate Judge Geoffrey Barnard advised Easton of his rights on Monday, March 16, 2009. Bail was set at $10,000. Easton was remanded to the custody of the US Marshal Service. Federal Law, Title 14 VIC ss 1721 -1731 requires that convicted sexual offenders or predators register with the VI Department of Justice within 5 working days of being placed under any type of supervision in the community.
If convicted sexual offenders or predators move to or return to the USVI from another jurisdiction, they must register with the VI Department of Justice within five days of first residing in or returning to the territory.
In the event there is a change in a convicted sexual offender’s or predator’s permanent or temporary residence after initial registration and any subsequent changes thereafter, they must notify the VI Department of Justice within three days after arrival of the new residence.
If there is a change in address outside the USVI, convicted sexual offenders or predators must register new addresses with the VI Department of Justice prior to departure and also register in the new jurisdiction within 10 days after establishing residence there if the new jurisdiction has a registration requirement.
Convicted sexual offenders and predators are required to verify residential addresses with the VI Department of Justice annually on the anniversary of initial registration. Sexually violent predators must verify addresses with the VI Department of Justice every 90 days after the date of initial release or commencement of parole.
Convicted sexual offenders or predators who fail to comply with the requirements are subject to a fine of not less then $3,000 or imprisonment for not less than three months, or more than 2 years or both. ..Source.. by Susan Mann, Caribbean Net News US Virgin Islands Correspondent
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