Anthony Broadnax, Sex Offender Registration Failure, West Virginia 2023

BECKLEY, W.Va. – Anthony Broadnax, 61, of Beckley, is headed back to prison. The repeat offender was sentenced today to one year and six months – 18 months – for deliberately dodging his obligations under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). Following his release, Broadnax will face five years of supervised release, a constant reminder of his failures to comply with the law.

Court records paint a clear picture: Broadnax relocated to Beckley from Virginia in or around May 2021, and remained there until at least July 26, 2021. He didn’t bother to register in his new state, nor did he update his existing registration in Virginia. This isn’t a simple oversight; it’s a blatant disregard for a legal requirement put in place to protect the public.

Broadnax’s history of sexual violence is extensive. He was convicted of aggravated sexual battery on August 25, 1990, and rape on February 7, 1991, both in Prince William County, Virginia. These convictions are precisely *why* he’s required to register and keep his information current – a fact he conveniently ignored. This isn’t his first rodeo either; Broadnax already has a prior conviction for failing to register as a sex offender.

SORNA, a key component of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006, aims to create a nationwide network of sex offender tracking. It mandates registered offenders to maintain current registrations in every location they live, work, or attend school. The system isn’t foolproof, but it’s a critical tool for law enforcement and communities to manage risk.

“It is vitally important that sex offenders are tracked and communities are kept aware through the enforcement of these registration and notification requirements,” stated Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston. “Prosecuting SORNA violators is a top priority of this office and would not be possible without the outstanding investigative work of the United States Marshals Service (USMS) and its coordination with other law enforcement agencies in these cases.”

Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk handed down the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald led the prosecution. Details of the case, including court documents, can be found on PACER under Case No. 5:21-cr-226, or on the U.S. Attorney’s Office website for the Southern District of West Virginia. This case serves as a stark reminder that attempts to evade sex offender registration will be met with federal prosecution.

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