Senator O'Brien fixes loophole in sex offender registry

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Last week, Senator Ted O'Brien’s bill making it a felony for a convicted sex offender to provide a false address or other identifying information to law enforcement for the sex offender registry was passed. The bill received unanimous support in the New York State Senate.

"Ensuring that the state's sex offender registry contains accurate information is vital to providing parents, school officials and law enforcement with the tools they need to keep our children safe," Senator O'Brien said. "Convicted sex offenders who try to evade the law by providing false contact information endanger the communities they live in and should be held fully accountable for their actions. My bill reinforces the importance of keeping track of criminals who prey on children and allows the state to more effectively protect its residents."

The bill was inspired by a Rochester case where an undeliverable renewal notice alerted police to a convicted child rapist's false filing. The Monroe County prosecutor was only able to charge the individual, who had been classified at the highest risk rating possible upon his release, with falsifying business records and offering a false instrument for filing. These fraud-related misdemeanors are meant to apply to much less dangerous situations.

This bill currently awaits action from the State Assembly.

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Sen. O’Brien represents the 55th district in the Senate, which is made up of the eastern half of Monroe County and the western half of Ontario County, including much of the city of Rochester.

Media contact:

Thomas J. Morrisey
Communications Director
office: (585) 218-0034
e-mail: tjmorris@nysenate.gov