Dickenson County Man Pleads Guilty to Sex Offender Registration Violation

Dickenson County, Virginia — A 65-year-old man with a decades-old sex conviction across state lines vanished from authorities’ radar for years, only to reappear in federal court admitting he broke the law by not registering as a sex offender. Ray Merrill Stapleton, now of Dickenson County, Virginia, pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court in Abingdon to one count of failing to register under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA) after traveling in interstate commerce.

Stapleton was convicted in Pima County, Arizona, on June 26, 1988, for a crime that mandated lifelong registration as a sex offender. Despite acknowledging his legal obligation to register in any state he resided in, Stapleton failed to do so when he relocated to Virginia. His last official contact with Arizona authorities was in September 2010. For over six years, he lived off-grid from the registration system meant to track high-risk individuals.

Virginia State Police and the United States Marshals Service picked up the trail after being alerted by Arizona officials. Acting on an investigative lead, they located Stapleton in rural Dickenson County, where he had been living without complying with Virginia’s sex offender registration laws. He was swiftly arrested and charged with violating federal SORNA requirements.

Assistant United States Attorney Randy Ramseyer presented evidence during the hearing confirming Stapleton’s knowing evasion of registration duties. Prosecutors stressed that the law isn’t optional — especially for those with a history of sexual offenses. SORNA exists to provide law enforcement with critical tools to monitor offenders and protect communities from potential reoffending.

“SORNA is an important tool for law enforcement to ensure the safety of our communities,” said United States Attorney John P. Fishwick Jr. “Mr. Stapleton knew his requirements under the law and failed to comply, for that he has been held justly accountable.”

Stapleton, 65, faces sentencing on January 9, 2017, in Abingdon federal court. The investigation was jointly conducted by the Virginia State Police and the United States Marshals Service. Prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Randy Ramseyer. The case underscores the federal government’s ongoing push to close loopholes in sex offender tracking across state lines.