Opinion ID: 2344634
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: facts

Text: Appellant was initially convicted of a felony sexual offense committed in Ohio, whereupon he had improper contact with an eight-year-old child. Pursuant to Ohio law, Appellant was required to register as a sex offender and to update this registration annually. Appellant had maintained his compliancy with Ohio law, and at the time of the alleged violation in Kentucky, was still compliant with his annual Ohio registration. Pertinent to the present matter, however, is that under both Ohio and Kentucky law, registered sex offenders are required to keep such registration current, and if a registered sex offender moves or changes his residence, he is required under Kentucky law to notify the local probation and parole office within five days of relocation. KRS 17.510(6). In early September 2005, someone recorded a complaint with the Kentucky State Police that a suspected sex offender was residing in the Yerkes area of Perry County. The informant gave police Appellant's name. Officer Joey King was sent to investigate, and on September 11, 2005, made contact with Appellant at his parent's home. Officer King then contacted Ohio Parole Officer, David Fugate, concerning Appellant's registration status, whereupon he discovered that Appellant was not registered in the state of Kentucky. Officer King subsequently obtained an arrest warrant and on September 16, 2005, returned to Appellant's parents' property where he discovered Appellant located in a small cabin behind the house, which had a lived in appearance. Upon serving the arrest warrant, Appellant remarked to Officer King that he was trying to get papers to register in Kentucky. Appellant was subsequently charged and convicted of failing to register as a sex offender, under KRS 17.510(11). We now review the Court of Appeals' decision affirming Appellant's conviction.