If you are a registered sex offender in Colorado, and you have reached the end of the time you are required to register – don't just stop registering as a sex offender in Denver, Adams or Douglas County. You are required by law to petition the court to Discontinue Registration as a Sex Offender – C.R.S. 16-22-113. If you fail to go through the deregistration process in Arapahoe, Broomfield or Jefferson County, you will be charged with Failure to Register as a Sex Offender – C.R.S. 18-3-412.5.

Are You Eligible to Stop Registering as a Sex Offender?

Most sex offenses in Colorado require the person convicted to register as a sex offender. The number of years that you are required to register as a sex offender in Colorado is different, depending on the level of offense for the crime you were convicted. Some offenses, such as the following, require the offender to register for the remainder of their life:

• Sexually Violent Predators
• Any person that is convicted (as an adult), of Sexual Assault – C.R.S. 18-3-402, Sexual Assault on a Child – C.R.S. 18-3-405, Sexual Assault on a Child by One in a Position of Trust – C.R.S. 18-3-405.3, Sexual Assault on a Client by a Psychotherapist – C.R.S. 18-3-405.5, Incest – C.R.S. 18-6-301, Aggravated Incest – C.R.S. 18-6-302, and any adult “who has more than one conviction or adjudication for unlawful sexual behavior in this state or any other jurisdiction.”

Time Requirements for Registering as a Sex Offender: When you Can Discontinue Registration

If you are charged with another sex offense, however – such as Unlawful Sexual Contact – C.R.S. 18-3-404, or Indecent Exposure – C.R.S. 18-7-302, then you will be able to petition for deregistration after a certain period of time. This time period depends on the level of offense of the crime you were convicted for in Denver, Aurora or Littleton. For example, you are caught with child pornography and are convicted of Sexual Exploitation of a Child – C.R.S. 18-6-403. You are charged with a class 6 felony. According to Colorado law, you will be required to register for 10 years following the end of your probation. When those 10 years are up, if you simply stop registering, you will be charged with failure to register, and may have to go through sex offender treatment over again. You may even have to go back to prison (see a list of time guidelines for requirements to register as a sex offender).

These time guidelines are not fixed – they depend on many different factors. It is important that you consult with an experienced criminal defense attorney in Larimer or Weld County, before you stop registering. Failure to Register as a Sex Offender can be charged as a felony, so it can have serious consequences.

If you or a loved one believes they can stop registering as a sex offender, and wished to petition to discontinue registration, be smart, exercise your right to remain silent, and contact an experienced criminal defense attorney at the O'Malley Law Office to go over your case with you. Contact us at 303-830-0880, or submit the “Get Help Now” form. Together, we can protect your future.

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