Sex Offender Fails to Register in Alabama

Sex Offender Fails to Register in Alabama

A Russell County man has been caught in a federal web of deceit after failing to register as a sex offender, a crime that could land him in prison for up to 10 years.

Gregory Whidden, a 62-year-old resident of Russell County, Alabama, pleaded guilty in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama to a federal felony charge of failing to register as a sex offender.

According to court documents, Whidden was convicted of sexual abuse second degree in the Circuit Court of Russell County, Alabama in 1987, making him a convicted sex offender required to register for life. However, Whidden failed to update his registration after relocating to Russell County from Florida in August 2013.

Whidden was previously registered in Lee County in 2010 and 2011, then relocated to Florida and registered in Florida. His last registration in Florida occurred in November 2012. Whidden admitted at the change of plea hearing that he knew he was required to register and update his registration in any new state he moved to.

The case was investigated jointly by the United States Marshals Service and Phenix City Police Department, with Assistant United States Attorney Jerusha T. Adams prosecuting the case.

Whidden remains in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing, where he faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and no less than five years of supervised release following his release from prison. Whidden’s sentencing hearing is yet to be scheduled. The public is advised to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to the authorities.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Alabama is committed to protecting the citizens of this district from crimes such as these. We will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that those who fail to register as sex offenders are brought to justice.

For more information, please contact Clark Morris at the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Alabama, (334) 551-1755 or usaalm.press@usdoj.gov.

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