Registered Sex Offenders

Most sexual assaults are committed by someone known to the victim. Research estimates 80-95 percent of sexual offenders have a relative, friend or authority figure relationship with the victim. In a typical sexual assault, it is therefore not a stranger that poses the highest risk to the victim.

According to a 2000 Department of Justice survey,(PDF, 298KB) 17.6 percent of all women polled said they had been the victim of a completed or attempted rape at some time in their life. Of those, 21.6 percent were younger than age 12 when they were first raped, and 32.4 percent were between the ages of 12 and 17. Men report being a victim of sexual assaults and violence at approximately half the rate of women, making an accurate estimate about the true level of victimization impossible to calculate.

Most convicted sex offenders are supervised and managed by community supervision teams consisting of criminal justice officers (probation, parole, community corrections staff), polygraph examiners and treatment providers. While sex offenders can't be cured, it is believed that some can be managed.

C.R.S. § 16-22-112(1) prohibits sex offender registry information to be used to inflict retribution or additional punishment upon the registrant.

The Colorado Sex Offender Registry includes only those persons who have been required by law to register and who are in compliance with the sex offender registration laws. Persons should not rely solely on the sex offender registry as a safeguard against perpetrators of sexual assault in their communities. The crime for which a person is convicted may not accurately reflect the level of risk.

Any person who is convicted on or after July 1, 1991, in the state of Colorado or in any other state for a crime involving unlawful sexual behavior is required to register in the manner prescribed in Colorado Revised Statutes.

Each person who is required to register pursuant to Article 22 of Title 16, or C.R.S. 16-22-108, shall register within five (5) business days after becoming a temporary or permanent resident of any city, town or county, or city and county within the state of Colorado. Convicted felons must register the next business day after being released from prison by the Colorado Department of Corrections. Such person shall register during business hours with the local law enforcement agency in the place of such person's temporary or permanent residence by completing a registration form provided to such person by the local law enforcement agency. The person shall be required, at the time of registration, to sit for a current photograph or image of himself or herself, as well as provide a set of fingerprints to verify identity. The person shall bear the cost of the photograph or image and fingerprints, as well as a registration fee as determined by the local law enforcement agency.

Any person who is required to register as a sex offender shall be required to register or re-register each time he or she changes temporary or permanent residence, regardless of whether such person has moved to a new address within the jurisdiction of the law enforcement agency with which they previously registered, or upon moving into a new jurisdiction within the state or another state. Such person shall complete a written change of residency form, provided by the Weld County Sheriff's Office, within five (5) business days after moving into their new residence.

A person is also required to re-register, within five (5) days, if they legally change their name or employment, or are enrolled as a student, volunteer or employee of a post secondary educational institution.

When a person registers with the Weld County Sheriff's Office they will complete a registration form containing, but not limited to, the following information:

• Full name.
• Date of birth.
• Current address.
• Physical description.
• Family information.
• Vehicle information.
• Employment information.
• Conviction information.

The sex offender's file is maintained by the Weld County Sheriff's Office and is not available to the public.

*****Quarterly registration will begin with the month and date of birth and then every 90 days thereafter.*****

Any person who fails to register or fails, when registering, to provide the person's current name and any former names, or who submits false information on the registration form, or fails to register with local law enforcement agency in the place of the person's temporary or permanent residence, or fails to register within five (5) days after the effective date of a name change, or fails to sit for a current photograph or image, or fails to complete a written change of residency form and submit the written form with the local law enforcement agency of the jurisdiction from which the person moves, commits the offense of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender.

Persons who have been convicted of Felony Unlawful Sexual Behavior and fail to register or re-register commit a Class 6 Felony. Any second or subsequent offense for Failure to Register is a Class 5 Felony. Persons who have been convicted of a Misdemeanor Sexual Assault and fail to register or re-register commit a Class 1 Misdemeanor.

Any Juvenile adjudicated for a delinquent act of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender that would constitute a felony if committed by an adult shall be sentenced to 45 days mandatory minimum detention. Any second or subsequent failure to register offense mandates an out of home placement for not less than 1 year. A juvenile adjudicated for a delinquent act of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender that would constitute a misdemeanor if committed by an adult shall be sentenced to 30 days mandatory minimum detention. Any second or subsequent offense for a juvenile requires a 45-day mandatory minimum detention sentence.

Failing to register as a sex offender is an automatic arrest and booking into jail.

The list of sex offenders maintained by the Weld County Sheriff's Office does not include the sex offenders registered within the incorporated cities in Weld County. The sex offender list is updated as new registrations or re-registrations are received.

A Sex Offender must continue to register until the court releases them from this requirement. If the offender has not been convicted of a subsequent offense involving unlawful sexual behavior, they may file a petition with the court for an order to discontinue registration or website posting according to the time frames outlined below. Sexually Violent Predators, multiple offenders and quarterly registrants are not eligible for this relief.

The complete list of registered sex offenders is available to the public under the following circumstances:

• A local law enforcement agency shall release information regarding any person registered with the local law enforcement agency to any person residing within the local law enforcement agency's jurisdiction.
• At its discretion, a local law enforcement agency may release information regarding any person registered with the local law enforcement agency to any person who does not reside within the local law enforcement agency's jurisdiction. If a local law enforcement agency does not elect to release information regarding any person registered with the local law enforcement agency to a person not residing within the local law enforcement agency's jurisdiction, the local law enforcement agency may submit a request from the person to the CBI.
• All requests must be made in writing and the person requesting the sex offender list must provide the Weld County Sheriff's Office their name, address, phone number and the reason for the request. This can be accomplished by bringing your Colorado driver's license or identification card with you at the time of your request. There is no fee to receive a copy of this list.

Certain sex offenders that meet the requirements for Internet posting are posted on the SOTAR website where we track sex offenders living in Weld County. 

There may also be citizens who are aware of convicted sex offenders who may be residing within the county who are unregistered, or who may be engaging in questionable behaviors involving children. In these instances your help in advising us is needed and in most cases; the provider of such information can remain anonymous. Please call Deputy Kelly Carmin at (970) 400-2867 or email him at kcarmin@weld.gov. 

The Colorado Bureau of Investigations (CBI) maintains a website containing those sex offenders who have failed to register or who have been convicted of two (2) or more crimes involving unlawful sexual behavior. The list will contain the sex offender's photograph, physical description, last known address and conviction information.

Click on the Colorado Sex Offender Site and it will take you to the sex offender list.

As our community grows, the number of sexually violent predators will grow too. The following documents contain identical information disseminated during SVP community notification meetings, during public notification events and are maintained all the time on our website for access 24/7 to raise awareness and to provide residents tools to remain informed and make responsible decisions concerning SVPs and all registered sex offenders in the county.

The following SVPs are registered with the Weld County Sheriff's Office. Their community bulletin information is maintained and updated to the best of our ability as one way to notify our citizens and the public. However, being a vigilant parent/guardian, reporting suspicious information to local law enforcement and using the registered sex offender countywide website are all useful tools for keeping yourself informed. Being aware and informed is the best way to prevent becoming a victim of any crime. To report an emergency call 911. For non-emergencies, call dispatch at (970) 350-9600. For direct questions about the following SVPs or registered sex offenders with our agency, call (970) 400-2871.

As with sex offenders, sexually violent predators were not required to notify law enforcement of their residence until the Jacob Wetterling Act of 1994. This act not only allowed law enforcement to share sex offender information with members of the community, but made it a requirement for for sexually violent predators.

Under the direction of the Colorado Sex Offender Management Board, a protocol has been established to assist law enforcement agencies in Weld County with the tools to conduct educational and informative SVP community notification meetings. These recommendations are designed to minimize public fear and emotional reaction to an SVP's arrival in the community. Community education is the key element of a successful notification program. The intent of community notification is not to impose harassment or additional punishment on the offender, but to provide information to those individuals or agencies that need to know about the offender's potential risk.

In Weld County, notification of a sexually violent predator is sent via mail to the area surrounding the SVP's residence. There is no guideline as to how many people should be notified of an SVP living in the community. Many factors determine the appropriate area of notification, including population and proximity to local business, schools, day care centers and assisted living centers, among other geographical factors.

The notification letters sent to residents are to notify them of a community meeting regarding an SVP and will not contain specific information about the SVP. This information is omitted to prevent vigilantism, harassment or intimidation that might occur before the community notification meeting takes place. The notification letter is simply a notice that an individual living in an area has been convicted of a sex offense that requires notification and will list a date, time and meeting place to obtain more information about the SVP.

Sexually violent predators follow the same guidelines for registration as do sex offenders except that SVP's are required to register quarterly for life and are not eligible to petition for discontinuation of registration. The following is a brief overview of the Colorado Sex Offender Registration Act as provided by the Sex Offender Management Board. It can also be found in Colorado Revised Statute (C.R.S.) 16-22-101 through 16-22-114.

• Persons required to register as described in C.R.S. 16-22-102 through 16-22-103.
• Probation, Community Corrections, County Jail, Law Enforcement, Department of Human Services, Colorado Department of Corrections, Judges and Magistrates shall provide notice to offenders informing them of their duty to register.
• Offenders must register with the appropriate law enforcement agency within 5 business days after release from incarceration or, if not incarcerated, within 5 business days after notice of the duty to register. If an offender is released from prison without parole, offenders must register the next business day. Offenders moving to Colorado from other states must register within 5 days of their arrival in Colorado.
• Before release from prison, offenders must provide the Department of Corrections with an updated address at least 10 days prior to release. Prison personnel, in cooperation with the appropriate law enforcement agency, must verify the proposed address and provide notice to the law enforcement agency within 2-5 days before the offender is released.
• Offenders must complete standardized registration forms when registering with law enforcement. Registrations forms shall be confidential and shall not be released to the public. The law enforcement agency shall retain a copy of the registration form and shall report the information to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation for the central registry within three business days.
• Offenders must register in all jurisdictions where they establish a residence. If an offender changes his/her address, he/she must, within 5 business days, cancel registration at the previous law enforcement agency, and register at the new agency.
• SVP's are required to register quarterly for life. They are not eligible to petition for discontinuation of registration.
• The law enforcement agency shall verify an SVP's address quarterly.
• Failure to register or otherwise comply with registration requirements constitutes a new offense (C.R.S. 18-3-412.5). When a peace officer determines that there is probable cause to believe that a crime of failure to register has been committed by an SVP pursuant to article 22 of title 16 of Colorado Revised Statutes, the officer shall arrest the person suspected of the crime.
• The law enforcement agency shall release information regarding persons required to register to any resident of the agency's jurisdiction and may release information to persons living outside the agency's jurisdiction. The agency may post the information on a web site, as authorized in C.R.S. 16-22-112(2). Information released shall include, at a minimum, the name, address or addresses, aliases, date of birth, photo, if requested and readily available, and the unlawful sexual behavior offense requiring registration. Information concerning victims shall not be released.

Christopher Celestino(PDF, 172KB)

Jimmy Dean Coleman(PDF, 171KB)

Benjamin-Howard Weir(PDF, 180KB)