In 2007, the Ohio legislature passed Senate Bill 10, which changed the Ohio sexual offender laws. Ohio implemented a federal law called the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 requiring sex offenders to classify into one of three (3) separate tiers based on the convicted offense. Offenders, as well as the general public, can also search for laws applicable to their offenses on an electronic database called eSORN, which can be found at— http://www.icrimewatch.net/index.php?AgencyID=55149&disc
Changes in Tiers & Addition of "Child-Victim Oriented Offenses"
There are two (2) types of offenders that have to register with SORN: Sex Offender & Child-Victim Offender.
A Sex Offender is a person who has been convicted, or pleaded guilty to an offense which was either inherently sexual, or which involved a sexual motivation, while a Child Victim-Offender is a person who has been convicted, or pleaded guilty to an offense which was committed against children under the age of 18 with no sexual motivation.
After the offender is categorized into one of the two types of offenders above, they will then be further classified into one of three tiers.
- Tier 3 — A person will be placed in this category if they have been convicted, or pleaded guilty to a sexually oriented offense that is punishable by imprisonment for more than one year in prison.
- Tier 2 — A person will be placed in this category if they have been convicted, or pleaded guilty to a sexually oriented offense that is not a Tier 3 offense, but is punishable by imprisonment for more than one year in prison.
- Tier 1 — A person will be placed in this category if they have been convicted, or pleaded guilty to a sexually oriented offense that is not a Tier 2 or Tier 3 offense.
The Meranda Law Firm, LTD. can help you determine which category, and under which Tier you might or will be placed in. We can help you through this process and ensure you are not taken advantage of due to the nature of your offense in the Court's eyes.
Length of Time for Reporting
- Tier 3 — Tier 3 Sex Offenders and Child-Victim Oriented Offenders are subject to registration and verification requirements every ninety (90) days for life.
- Tier 2 — Tier 2 Sex Offenders and Child-Victim Oriented Offenders are subject to registration and verification requirements every 180 days for a period of 25 years; Tier 2 Juveniles register for 20 years, unless modified by the Juvenile Court.
- Tier 1 — Tier 1 Sex Offenders and Child-Victim Oriented offenders are subject to registration and verification requirements once every twelve months for a period of 15 years; Tier 1 Juveniles register for 10 years, unless modified by the Juvenile Court.
Registration Duties
All adult sexual offenders and all adult child-victim offenders must register their home, school, and work addresses with the Court. You must register with the Sheriff/Court within three (3) days of your arrival in the county you plan to live or temporarily reside in. Please keep in mind that if you travel across state lines for either school or work, you are also required to notify your movement to the local Sheriff's Office.
Homeless/Transient Offenders
Sometimes offenders do not have a permanent home (homeless) or move from place to place. This can make it very hard for offenders to know where and when to notify their local Sheriff.
"I don't have a home, and I am homeless, so where in the world do I send notification?"
This is a completely understandable question to ask! If you are in this category, and are not sure where or when to file, contact The Meranda Law Firm, LTD. and we will assist you in your notification filing to make sure you are complying with Ohio law.
Periodic Verification of Address
Changing address or homes soon and you are a sexual offender? Typically an offender gets 20 days to notify the local Sheriff or Court that they are either moving to a new in-state residence, or out-of-state residence, in or out of state schools. **Please remember that it is a criminal offense for a failure to notify the Sheriff or Court of your new residence.**
**It is very important to remember that SORN only applies to adult offenders that were convicted of a sexual offense, were incarcerated, or were under supervision on or after July 1, 1997. Juvenile offenders have their own laws to abide by called Public Registry-Qualified Juvenile Offender Registry (PRQJOR)**
The Meranda Law Firm, LTD. can assist you in changing your notification with the Sheriff and Court when moving. When moving somewhere, let The Meranda Law Firm, LTD ease your mind about notifying the local Sheriff or Court that you are a sexual offender.