WYOMING SOR - faq

Q:	What is a convicted sex offender?
A:	Wyoming law defines a sex offender as a person convicted of a criminal offense specified in W.S. 7-19-302 (g) through (j), or convicted of a criminal offense from Wyoming or any other jurisdiction containing the same or similar elements, or arising out of the same or similar facts or circumstances, as a criminal offense specified in W.S. 7-19-302 (g) through (j). For further information refer to the Sex Offender Registration Act of 2007.

Q:	How do sex offenders register in Wyoming?
A:	A convicted sex offender is fingerprinted, photographed, palmprinted and a registration form completed in the County Sheriff's Office or other law enforcement agency or entity where the offender resides.

Q:	Where are the sex offender files maintained?
A:	The County Sheriff's Office or other law enforcement agency maintains a file and forwards the information to the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI). The DCI maintains a central registry database, as well as, a central hard copy file. The information is additionally submitted by DCI to the national sex offender registration file maintained by the FBI.

Q:	How long are sex offenders registered?
A:	Convicted sex offenders are required to register for 15 years, 25 years or the duration of their lifetime depending upon the statute they were convicted of. The beginning of the registration period begins once the offender is released from prison, placed on parole, supervised release or probation and must be extended, or "tolled", for any additional subsequent periods of confinement.

Q:	Is it a criminal violation for failure to register as a sex offender in Wyoming?
A:	Yes. A person who knowingly fails to register as required by W.S. 7-19-302 is guilty of a felony punishable by a fine of up to one thousand dollars ($1,000.00), imprisonment for not more than five (5) years, or both. A subsequent conviction is punishable by a fine of one thousand dollars ($1,000.00), imprisonment for not more than ten (10) years, or both.

Q:	How long can a sex offender live in Wyoming before they are required to register?
A:	A convicted sex offender is required to register prior to release from custody. Convicted sex offenders not sentenced to imprisonment must register immediately after the imposition of their sentence. If a convicted sex offender moves to Wyoming, they must register within three (3) working days.

Q:	What community notification occurs when a convicted sex offender moves into a neighborhood?
A:	W.S. 7-19-303 ( c) (ii) requires community notification for anyone convicted of an offense specified within W.S. 7-19-302 (h) or (j). The notification must be provided to residents within at least seven hundred fifty (750) feet of the offender's residence, as well as, to organizations in the community, including schools, religious and youth organizations. This notification is provided by the local Sheriff's Office. The state also provides a subscription e-mail service which notifies the subscriber when a registrant moves into or out of an area or upon the movement of a specific sex offender. This service can be obtained by subscribing through the state web page. Beginning July 01, 2007 all registered sex offenders living within the State of Wyoming are required be posted on a public internet registry located at: http://wysors.dci.wyo.gov. This site allows citizens to make queries and possesses advanced mapping capabilities. A visitor can conduct an inquiry based upon the name of a specific registrant, by a physical address such as the citizen's home or their child's day care center address, or by a larger geographical area such as a street or physical radius.

Q:	What information about sex offenders can be obtained from the Internet?
A:	Information available on the internet site includes; the offender's name and any aliases; the physical address where they live; their date and place of birth; their date and place of conviction; the crime for which convicted; their most recent photograph; a physical description including their race, sex, height, weight, eye and hair color; their history of criminal convictions; and the license plate number and description of any vehicles owned or operated by the registrant.