⏱ 2 min read
A convicted sex offender from North Carolina has pleaded guilty to failing to register as a sex offender after relocating to West Virginia. James Terry Lawson Jr, 43, failed to register and update his registration as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA) after moving to Vienna, West Virginia, between October 1, 2024, and May 1, 2025. Lawson was previously convicted of indecent liberties with children in Cabarrus County, North Carolina, in 2003.
Lawson has a history of failing to register as a sex offender, with prior convictions in 2004, 2009, and 2017. He is scheduled to be sentenced on October 5, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.
The case was investigated by the West Virginia State Police and the United States Marshals Service (USMS), and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage. United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing.
The Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA) is a federal law that requires registered sex offenders to register and keep their registration current in each jurisdiction in which they reside, work, or go to school. The law aims to strengthen the nationwide network of sex offender registration and notification programs.
📋 Key Facts
- Crime: Sex Crimes
- Defendant: West Virginia
- Location: WV
- Source: DOJ Press Release
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