Opinion ID: 256
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Indictment, Denial of Motion to Dismiss, and Jury Instruction

Text: On April 17, 2008, an indictment returned in the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York charged that defendant, being an individual required to register under [SORNA] by reason of his conviction under federal law, did travel in interstate commerce and did knowingly fail to register and update his registration as required by law, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2250(a). Prior to trial, defendant moved to dismiss the indictment on various statutory and constitutional grounds. The District Court denied defendant's motion in a thorough decision filed on August 8, 2008. Pertinent to the present appeal, the District Court rejected defendant's arguments that SORNA (1) exceeds Congress's authority under the Commerce Clause, (2) violates the non-delegation doctrine, and (3) did not apply to him because New York and North Carolina have not yet implemented the statute. At trial, the parties disputed whether the termination of defendant's New York residence constituted a change in residence sufficient to trigger his duty under SORNA to update his registration information. Defendant argued that termination of his old residence was insufficient and that he was required to update his registration information only upon establishing a new residence. The District Court rejected defendant's argument, instructing the jury in accordance with the government's requested charge that terminating a residence with no intention of returning constitutes a change in residence under SORNA.