James Fernando Rhodes Sentenced for Sex Offender Registration Violation

James Fernando Rhodes, 50, of Homer, La., is behind bars for 24 months after being convicted of failing to update his sex offender registration—a violation that spanned years and crossed state lines.

Rhodes was sentenced Wednesday by U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. on one federal count of failure to update sex offender registration. The conviction triggers serious consequences for the lifelong registrant, who admitted to living in Louisiana for two full years without complying with mandated reporting requirements.

The trouble began surfacing in March 2013, when the Marion County Sheriff’s Office in Indiana conducted a routine compliance check on Rhodes at his registered address. He was nowhere to be found. A warrant was issued, but it would take more than three years—and a crucial tip—to finally track him down.

In May 2016, law enforcement responded to a lead from the Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Office in Louisiana, resulting in Rhodes’ arrest. Investigators confirmed he had been living in the state since at least 2014, dodging the legal obligation to register as a sex offender despite prior conviction for indecency with a child—sexual contact, handed down December 8, 1995 in Dallas County, Texas.

Under federal law, Rhodes was required to keep his registration current across all jurisdictions. His failure to do so—not once, but continuously—triggered federal prosecution. On September 28, 2016, he entered a guilty plea, sealing his fate.

The U.S. Marshals Service, Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Indiana’s Marion County Sheriff’s Office jointly investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary J. Mudrick prosecuted. Following his prison term, Rhodes will serve three years of supervised release—under the watchful eye of federal authorities.