Sex offenders must keep on top of their registration status

Being registered as a sex offender in the state of Michigan may require you to keep on top of your offender registration or face up to two years in prison. Michigan State Police are reminding tier three sex offenders that their second registration period of the year began April 1 and offenders will have 15 days to verify their address with the local police department, sheriff's office or state police post.There is a three-tier sex offender registration system for the state and the tiers are divided based on the crime and age difference between the offender and victim. The three tiers are:

• Tier one offenders must register by January 15 of every year.
• Tier two offenders must register at the beginning of January and July.
• Tier three includes the most serious offenders and they must register at the beginning of January, April, July and October.

This system was established to keep track of all offenders and to protect the public. Every registered offender must report address or name changes, employment, school enrollment and Internet identifiers within three business days of the change or face serious consequences -- a four-year felony.If an offender is not in compliance with any of the stipulations, they can be arrested according to the Sex Offenders Registration Act. Violators may be arrested during a traffic stop or at random address checks done by the police department.Being a registered sex offender will affect every aspect of your life. If you find yourself in a situation where you are being charged with a sex crime, you should seek the advice of a criminal defense attorney in Ann Arbor. They will work with you to review your charges and work to give you the best defense.Source: The News-Herald, "Neighborhood sex offenders need to register starting Sunday," Dennis Hinzmann, March 27, 2012