A former Atlantic Beach woman was sentenced to 3 years and 5 months in federal prison for failing to register as a sex offender in the state of Florida.
According to court documents, Sunshine Marie McEwen (43) was convicted of sexual battery on a 12-year-old child in Jacksonville back in 1998. McEwen was released from state prison in September 2013 and resided in Atlantic Beach.
However, McEwen’s troubles didn’t end there. On May 15, 2015, she sold drugs to an individual in Atlantic Beach and later fled to California without updating her sex offender registration. McEwen also failed to register in California as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
McEwen was eventually arrested in Palm Springs on November 28, 2015, and extradited to Florida to face her drug charges. On July 6, 2016, she was convicted of selling cocaine within 1,000 feet of a church and sentenced to 78 months in state prison.
The Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, part of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006, provides for the use of federal law enforcement resources to assist state and local authorities in locating and apprehending non-compliant sex offenders.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the Atlantic Beach Police Department, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Palm Springs Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. The initiative is led by United States Attorneys Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, and marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children.
McEwen’s sentence sends a clear message: failing to register as a sex offender will not be tolerated. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to work with law enforcement agencies to ensure that those who fail to register are held accountable.
Related Federal Cases
- Atlantic Beach Woman Pleads Guilty to Failing to Register as Sex Offender · Florida
- Long Beach Sex Offender Indicted in Child Trafficking Sting · Florida
- Calif. Man Pleads Guilty to Child Sex Abuse Photo Production · Florida
- Navy Officers Trade Secrets for Sex, Luxury · Colorado
- Deported Sex Offender Back Behind Bars · Florida
Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Category: Sex Crimes|Drug Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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