Those required to register as predatory offenders must provide, among other personal information, their primary and secondary addresses, and any vehicles they own or regularly drive. All information must remain up to date; by not updating, one is deemed “non-compliant.”
If a person fails to comply with the registration requirements, information about the offender may be made available to the public. See Minn. Stat. 243.166. Failure to register as a predatory offender is a felony in Minnesota and tacks on 5 extra years in which one is required to register.
While the list of people who register as predatory offenders is not public, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) identifies predatory offenders in Minnesota who are considered “non-compliant” and provides their personal information to the public. First time convictions are subject to a prison sentence of 1 year and 1 day, and subsequent violators face a minimum of 2 years of incarceration. Additionally, if false information is provided, one is guilty of a felony and may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than five years or to payment of a fine not more than $10,000 or both.
People who are charged with certain offenses and then convicted of anything from that case are required to register as a predatory offender. Offenses that require registration include:
- Criminal sexual conduct
- Kidnapping
- Felony Indecent exposure
- Solicitation of a minor
- Possession of pictorial representations of minors (Child Pornography)
- Criminal abuse
Also, if a person was previously convicted of one of the offenses listed above but was not required to register at the time of conviction because the registration law did not apply at the time, beware. They would be required to register if they were convicted of a “Crime Against the Person” on or after July 1, 2000.
“Crimes Against the Person” include, but are not limited to:
- Unlawful possession of a firearm
- Assault
- Domestic assault
- Harassment; stalking
- Indecent exposure
- Criminal sexual conduct
How long am I required to register?
Every registrant is required to register for a minimum number of 10 years. If an individual is sentenced to probation for a period longer than 10 years, they must register for the complete duration of their probation. Some offenses require lifetime registration.
If you are unsure whether or not you are required to register an offense, contact an attorney. Remember: if you fail to register yourself or update your information with the BCA, you can be convicted of a felony in Minnesota.