If you have been convicted of a sexually based crime outside of the state of Colorado, but are now required to Register as a Sex Offender with such Colorado agencies as the Castle Rock, Thornton, or Westminster Police, the process of Sex Offender Registration / Deregistration can be quite complicated. First you must determine whether you are even statutorily eligible to de-register and then you must petition the court to order your name removed from the registry. You can’t automatically stop registering.
What makes the process to Deregister, C.R.S. 16-22-113, as a sex offender (de-registering) after a non-Colorado (out of state) conviction more difficult is that each state defines criminal acts in different ways for Sex Offender Registration / Deregistration. For example, while certain crimes might be misdemeanors in other states, they might be classified as felonies under Colorado law, which extends the time period you are required to register. The converse is also true. You may believe that because you were convicted for a felony in another state that you are required to register for 10-20 years, but the crime for which you were convicted might be a misdemeanor in Colorado jurisdictions such as Adams, Denver, and Arapahoe County, and you may only be required to register for 5 years.
As experienced criminal defense attorneys with Sex Offender Registration / Deregistration, we can look at the law of other states in which you were convicted and find the law that is comparable in Colorado to determine whether you are statutorily eligible to petition to de-register for a sex offense in Douglas, Jefferson or Denver County. If you are, it is important that you petition to de-reregister as soon as possible since you do not need to be bound by the social stigma of being labeled a “sex offender”.
At the O’Malley Law Office we are experienced in petitions to deregister as well as defending people against accusations of sex crimes. If you are being investigated by the Aurora, Denver, or Lakewood Police, or if you want to de-register, be smart, exercise your right to remain silent and call us today at 303-731-0719. Together, we can protect your future.