Timothy Chenault, Sex Offender Non-Registration, GA 2023

ATLANTA – Timothy Chenault, 48, of Atlanta, Georgia, has admitted to deliberately dodging his legal obligations by failing to register as a sex offender after relocating from Oregon. The guilty plea, entered in federal court, underscores a blatant disregard for public safety and the law.

According to court documents, Chenault’s crimes stretch back to June 1992 in Oregon, where he lured a 14-year-old girl to a field and sexually assaulted her, threatening harm if she revealed the attack. He was convicted in November 1992 of attempt to commit rape and sexual abuse. Following his release from prison in 1994, Chenault initially complied with sex offender registration requirements in Oregon, continuing through December 2013.

But that compliance evaporated when Chenault moved to Georgia by February 13, 2015. He never bothered to notify Oregon authorities of his departure, and critically, he never registered as a sex offender within the state of Georgia. This failure triggered a federal investigation, highlighting the interstate reach of sex offender registration laws.

“Citizens have a right to know if they live or work near a sex offender,” stated U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak. “This is a matter of public safety. Sex offenders who do not believe they must register any longer will be found and held accountable for their willful failure to comply with the law.” Beverly Harvard, U.S. Marshal for the Northern District of Georgia, added, “The enforcement of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act is a priority… we will continue to monitor and seek out those who are under the requirements of the Act.”

Chenault’s sentencing is scheduled for May 15, 2018, at 9:30 a.m. before U.S. District Judge William S. Duffey Jr. The case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul R. Jones. This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 to combat child exploitation and abuse.

Project Safe Childhood brings together federal, state, and local resources to target those who prey on children. For more information on the initiative, visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. Anyone with information regarding sex offender compliance is encouraged to contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. Further details can be found at http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.