Mobridge Man Justin Jerome Howard Charged in Sex Offender Registration Case

Justin Jerome Howard, a 33-year-old man from Mobridge, South Dakota, is facing federal charges for failure to register as a sex offender—a crime that carries up to 10 years in prison. Indicted on January 19, 2017, by a federal grand jury, Howard’s case underscores the federal government’s aggressive enforcement of registration laws meant to track convicted offenders.

On January 27, 2017, Howard appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge William D. Gerdes and entered a plea of not guilty. The charge stems from an alleged violation between December 5 and December 14, 2016, when Howard, already required to register under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act due to a prior conviction, knowingly failed to update his registration as the law demands.

If convicted, Howard faces a maximum of 10 years in federal custody, a $250,000 fine, and a mandatory minimum of five years of supervised release. He would also be required to pay $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund, with possible restitution ordered on top.

The indictment makes clear that Howard is presumed innocent until proven guilty. Still, the allegations spotlight the strict accountability imposed on individuals under SORNA—the federal statute designed to close loopholes in how sex offenders report their whereabouts across state lines.

The U.S. Marshals Service is leading the investigation, wielding its nationwide reach to track down non-compliant offenders. Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy R. Morley is prosecuting the case, signaling the DOJ’s continued prioritization of compliance with sex offender registries.

Following his arraignment, Howard was remanded into the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service, awaiting trial. No trial date has yet been scheduled. The case remains under federal jurisdiction, with the court expected to move swiftly given the seriousness with which such registration failures are treated.