No. 2--01--0279

________________________________________________________________

	IN THE

	APPELLATE COURT OF ILLINOIS

	SECOND DISTRICT

________________________________________________________________

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE	)	Appeal from the Circuit Court

OF ILLINOIS,	)	of Du Page County.

		)

	Plaintiff-Appellee,	)

	)	No. 00--CF--158

v.	)

	)

WILLIE BELL,	)	Honorable

	)	Kathryn E. Creswell,

	Defendant-Appellant.	)	Judge, Presiding.

________________________________________________________________

	JUSTICE KAPALA delivered the opinion of the court:

	Following a bench trial, defendant, Willie Bell, was found

guilty of unlawful failure to register as a sex offender under the

Sex Offender Registration Act (Act or Registration Act) (730 ILCS

150/1 et seq. (West 2000)).  More specifically, defendant was convicted of failing to notify the proper authorities in writing

within 10 days after he changed his residential address as mandated

by section 6 of the Act (730 ILCS 150/6 (West 2000)).  Defendant appeals and contends that his conviction of unlawful failure to

register as a sex offender should be reversed because (1) rape is

not a sexually violent offense that required him to register under

the Act and (2) the State failed to prove him guilty beyond a

reasonable doubt.  For the reasons that follow, we affirm.

	The record reveals that in 1981, a jury found defendant guilty

of rape and other offenses.  Defendant was subsequently sentenced

to 30 years' incarceration.  On March 11, 1996, defendant was released from incarceration.  On March 25, 1996, pursuant to the

Act, defendant registered as a sex offender with the Du Page County

sheriff's department (sheriff's department).  Defendant renewed his

registration as a sex offender with the sheriff's department in

1997, 1998, and in 1999.  Defendant's 1999 renewal occurred on

January 14, 1999.  At that time, defendant reported his residence

address as 2N565 N. Euclid Avenue in Glen Ellyn.

	On March 17, 2000, the State charged defendant in a two-count

indictment with unlawful failure to register as a sex offender in

violation of section 6 of the Act (730 ILCS 150/6 (West 2000)). 

Count I alleged that defendant failed to report in person to the

sheriff's department within one year of his prior registration. 

Count II alleged that defendant failed to notify the sheriff's

department in writing within 10 days of changing his residence

address.

	At trial, David Lakim, a Du Page County deputy sheriff,

testified that on January 3, 2000, he was on duty and was assigned

to check the addresses of registered sex offenders in the county. 

Based on information in defendant's sexual offender file, Lakim

went to 2N565 N. Euclid Avenue in Glen Ellyn to determine whether

defendant was living at that address.  Jessica Fontino, a girl in

her late teens, answered the door and told Lakim that her family

had recently moved there and that no one by the name of Willie Bell

lived there.  Lakim later gave this information to the detective

division of the sheriff's department.

	David Sand, a detective with the sheriff's department,

testified that his duties included taking the registrations and the renewal registrations of sex offenders in Du Page County.  Sand 

was also in charge of maintaining the files of sex offenders

registered in the county.  On January 12, 2000, Sand received

information from a sheriff's deputy indicating that defendant may

have changed his address.  Sand consulted the sex-offender files

and determined that defendant's last known address was 2N565 N.

Euclid Avenue in Glen Ellyn.  Sand testified that the registration

records also showed that between January 14, 1999, and January 12,

2000, defendant had not contacted the sheriff's department and that

no written notice had been received from defendant indicating a

change of address.

	Sand subsequently spoke on the telephone with residents of

2N565 N. Euclid Avenue in Glen Ellyn.  The residents told Sand that

they had moved to that address on September 1, 1999.  Sand then

contacted the Glen Ellyn post office and was informed that

defendant had not left a forwarding address with the post office. 

Sand also contacted Susan DiLoardo, the realtor who had sold the

property at 2N565 N. Euclid Avenue, to determine whether she had

any information regarding defendant's whereabouts.

	When Sand arrived at work on January 31, 2000, there was a

telephone message waiting for him.  The caller identified himself

as "Mr. Bell" and stated that he was not due to register until

March and would be registering in Waukegan where he was planning to

move.

	Sand further testified regarding the sex-offender registration

form that was completed when defendant renewed his registration as

a sex offender on January 14, 1999.  The form included a number of printed requirements and directions indicating that the

requirements must be read to the registrant and that the registrant

must initial each requirement.  Above the registrant's signature on

the form there is a statement that provides,: "I have read and/or

had read to me, the above requirements.  It has been explained to

me and I understand my duty to register and that failure to do so

is a criminal offense."  Sand testified that the form that

defendant signed on January 14, 1999, showed the initials "WB" next

to a requirement that stated,: "You must, within 10 days of changing

your residence address, notify in writing the law enforcement

agency with whom you last registered, of your new address."

	On cross-examination, Sand acknowledged that March 2000 would

be exactly four years after defendant's release from prison and

that the phone call from defendant was apparently on defendant's

own initiative.  Sand testified that he had assumed his duties of

overseeing the county's sex-offender registration files and

registering sex offenders a little before the middle of 1999.

	Susan DiLoardo testified that she was a real estate sales

representative who brokered the August 30, 1999, sale of the house

located at 2N565 N. Euclid Avenue in Glen Ellyn.  Prior to the sale

of the house, DiLoardo had been acquainted with the owner, Mary

Jane Andrlike, and was also aware that Andrlike had a boarder who

lived in the basement of the house.  DiLoardo identified defendant

as Andrlike's boarder.  DiLoardo recalled that after the closing on

August 30, 1999, she returned to the house with Andrlike. 

Defendant was present.  The house was empty.  Andrlike and

defendant then left.

     On April 13, 2000, the trial court found defendant not guilty

of count I and guilty of count II.  The trial court sentenced

defendant to three years' incarceration.  Defendant's notice of

appeal followed.

	On February 7, 2001, this court allowed defendant's motion to

remand the cause to the circuit court for a hearing and a ruling on

defendant's motion to reconsider sentence.  This court also

dismissed defendant's appeal as premature.  On remand, the circuit

court denied defendant's motion to reconsider sentence.  Defendant

then filed a timely notice of appeal giving rise to this appeal. 

The only subject of this appeal is the trial court's finding of

guilt as to count II, which alleged that defendant failed to notify

the sheriff's department in writing within 10 days of changing his

residence address.

	On appeal, defendant first contends that his conviction should

be reversed because he was erroneously classified as a sex offender

and therefore was never required to register as a sex offender

under the Act.  Defendant acknowledges that he was convicted of

rape in 1981 and recognizes that his 1981 rape conviction is the

predicate offense that, in the State's view, requires him to

register as a sex offender under the Act.  However, defendant

maintains that the State's view is erroneous.  Defendant argues

that the plain language of the Act shows that rape should not be

construed as a "sex offense" that requires registration as a sex

offender under the Act.

	The Act requires any person that it defines as a "sex

offender" to register as a sex offender with a local law enforcement agency.  Such a person must register as a sex offender

under various circumstances, including the person's discharge,

parole, or release from prison any time after January 1, 1996.  730

ILCS 150/3(c)(4) (West 2000).  Therefore, in view of defendant's

release from prison on March 11, 1996, if the Act defines defendant

as a sex offender, then he was required to register as a sex

offender under the Act.

	The portion of the Act relevant to the facts of this case

defines a "sex offender" as any person who has been convicted of a "sex offense" as set forth in section 2(B)(1) of the Act.  730 ILCS

150/2(A)(1)(a) (West 2000).  Section 2(B)(1) lists a number of

specific offenses that are defined as sex offenses.  The list

includes criminal sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual

assault, criminal sexual abuse and aggravated criminal sexual

abuse.  730 ILCS 150/2(B)(1) (West 2000).  Section 2(B)(1) does not

include rape among the listed offenses.  Thus, defendant correctly

asserts that the Act does not expressly list rape as one of the

offenses that it defines as a sex offense.

	However, the Act has a savings clause that also defines a sex

offense.   The savings clause defines as a sex offense "[a]

violation of any former law of this State substantially equivalent

to any offense listed in subsection (B)(1) of this Section."  730

ILCS 150/2(B)(2) (West 2000).  Defendant acknowledges that, if the

savings clause is deemed to define rape as a sex offense, then he

would be a sex offender required to register as such under the Act. 

Not surprisingly, defendant argues that the savings clause should

not be deemed to define rape as a sex offense.

	In support of his position, defendant relies heavily on the 

First District Appellate Court case of In re Detention of Lieberman, 319 Ill. App. 3d 1020 (2001).  In Lieberman, the respondent was convicted in 1980 of a series of rapes.  In January

2000, prior to the respondent's entry into mandatory supervised

release, the State petitioned to have the respondent committed as

a sexually violent person pursuant to the Sexually Violent Persons

Commitment Act (Commitment Act) (725 ILCS 207/1 et seq. (West 1998)).  After the circuit court denied the respondent's motion to

dismiss the petition, the respondent was granted leave to file an

interlocutory appeal.  The certified question on appeal was whether

the respondent's conviction of rape was a conviction of a sexually

violent offense under the Commitment Act.  Lieberman, 319 Ill. App. 3d at 1021.

	The appellate court noted that, under the Commitment Act, the commission of a "sexually violent offense" was a prerequisite for

a finding that a person was a sexually violent person.  At the time

the State filed its petition in Lieberman, the Commitment Act's definition of a "sexually violent offense" included criminal sexual

assault, aggravated criminal sexual assault, predatory criminal

sexual assault of a child, and aggravated criminal sexual abuse,

but did not include rape.  Lieberman, 319 Ill. App. 3d at 1023-24.  The appellate court concluded that, by omitting rape from the list

of specific offenses that the Commitment Act defined as sexually

violent offenses, the legislature expressed an intent to limit the

definition to the listed offenses.  The appellate court also

considered and rejected various arguments propounded by the State, including arguments that rape should be deemed a sexually violent

offense because the listed offenses were a continuation of or were

substantially similar to the offense of rape.  The appellate court

therefore answered the certified question in the negative.

	Without more, Lieberman would be strong authority in support of defendant's position in this case.  However, our supreme court

has recently reversed the appellate court decision.  In re Detention of Lieberman, No. 91344 (July 3, 2002).  In its opinion, the supreme court agreed with the State's contention that the

legislature intended that the offenses of criminal sexual assault

and aggravated criminal sexual assault subsume the offense of rape. 

In reaching that conclusion, the court examined the legislative

history of the act that repealed the offense of rape and created

the offenses of criminal sexual assault and aggravated criminal

sexual assault (Pub. Act 83--1067, eff. July 1, 1984).  The court

also compared the elements of the former offense of rape with the

elements of the offenses of criminal and aggravated criminal sexual

assault.  Lieberman, slip op. at 9-12.

	After finding that the offenses of criminal sexual assault and

aggravated criminal sexual assault subsumed the former offense of

rape, the court stated:

	"We conclude that because *** the Commitment Act defines the

offenses of criminal and aggravated criminal sexual assault as 

'[s]exually violent offense[s],' and because the former

offense of rape is subsumed into criminal and aggravated

criminal sexual assault, it follows that a conviction for the

crime of rape constitutes a 'sexually violent offense' under the applicable version of the Commitment Act."  Lieberman, slip op. at 12-13.

	We believe that similar reasoning applies in this case.  Here,

as with the Commitment Act's definition of a sexually violent offense, the Registration Act's definition of a "sex offense"

expressly includes the offenses of criminal and aggravated criminal

sexual assault. Because the former offense of rape has been subsumed into the offenses of criminal and aggravated criminal

sexual assault, it follows that a conviction of rape constitutes a

"sex offense" under the Registration Act.

	This conclusion is buttressed by the Registration Act's

savings clause.  After comparing the elements of rape with the

elements of criminal and aggravated criminal sexual assault, the

supreme court concluded that the legislature intended that the

elements of rape be subsumed into the new offenses of criminal and

aggravated criminal sexual assault.  Lieberman, slip op. at 12. Based on this conclusion, we believe that rape should be considered

to be substantially equivalent to the offenses of criminal and

aggravated criminal sexual assault.  This brings rape within the

scope of the Act's savings clause (730 ILCS 150/2(B)(2) (West

2000)).

	For these reasons, we conclude that the Act defines rape as a

"sex offense."  Because defendant was convicted of rape, he was

therefore properly classified as a "sex offender" and was required

to register as such under the Act.  Accordingly, defendant is not

entitled to the reversal of his conviction on the ground that the

Act did not require him to register as a sex offender.

	Defendant next contends that he is entitled to the reversal of

his conviction because the State failed to prove him guilty beyond

a reasonable doubt.  Based on his analysis of the elements of the

offense as charged in count II, defendant asserts that the State

was required to prove beyond a reasonable doubt (1) that he moved

and (2) that he failed to notify the sheriff's department within 10

days that he had moved.  Defendant concedes that the State

presented sufficient evidence to show that he moved on August 30,

1999.  However, defendant argues that the State's evidence was not

sufficient to show that he failed to notify the sheriff's

department, within 10 days of the move, that he had moved.

	When a defendant challenges the sufficiency of the evidence in

a criminal case, it is not the function of a reviewing court to

retry the defendant.  People v. Collins, 106 Ill. 2d 237, 261 (1985).  Rather, the relevant question is whether, after viewing

the evidence in the light most favorable to the prosecution, any

rational trier of fact could have found the essential elements of

the crime beyond a reasonable doubt.  Collins, 106 Ill. 2d at 261.  The trier of fact has the responsibility to determine the

credibility of the witnesses, to resolve conflicts or

inconsistencies in their testimony, to assess the weight to be

given to their testimony, and to draw reasonable inferences from

all of the evidence.  See People v. Heard, 187 Ill. 2d 36, 84 (1999); People v. Frieberg, 147 Ill. 2d 326, 360 (1992).  A reviewing court should not reverse a criminal conviction unless the

evidence is so unreasonable, improbable, or unsatisfactory that it creates a reasonable doubt of the defendant's guilt.  People v. McDonald, 168 Ill. 2d 420, 444 (1995).

	Here, defendant was charged with violating the registration

requirements of the Act by failing to notify the sheriff's

department in writing within 10 days of changing his residence

address.  Section 6 of the Act requires such notification by

providing, in relevant part:

	"If any person required to register under this Article changes

his or her residence address *** he or she shall, in writing,

within 10 days inform the law enforcement agency with whom he

or she last registered *** ."  730 ILCS 150/6 (West 2000).

Thus, an element of the charged offense that the State was required

to prove beyond a reasonable doubt was that defendant failed to

notify the sheriff's department, in writing, within 10 days of his

change of residence.  

	After carefully reviewing the record, we conclude that the

evidence was sufficient to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that

defendant failed to notify the sheriff's department in writing or

in any other way within 10 days of his change of his residence

address.  Officer Sand, the officer in charge of the sex-offender

registration records, testified that the records showed that the

sheriff's department never received a written notice from defendant

regarding a change of his residence address and that defendant made

no contacts of any kind with the sheriff's department in the period

from January 14, 1999, through January 12, 2000.  Viewing this

evidence in the light most favorable to the prosecution, a rational

trier of fact could have inferred that defendant failed to notify the sheriff's department in writing within 10 days of the change of

his residence address.  That was enough to prove the element in

question in count II beyond a reasonable doubt.

	Based on the foregoing, the judgment of the circuit court of

Du Page County is affirmed.

	Affirmed.

	GEIGER and CALLUM, JJ., concur.