Being charged with a sex crime in Colorado can cause your life to wind up in disarray. You might have trouble finding a job, you could wind up in jail, and you could face hefty fines. If convicted of the charge, you might also have to register on the sex offender list. This list is used by law enforcement agencies to monitor the sex offenders in their jurisdictions.

If you wind up being convicted of a sex crime charge, you will be required to register on the list. Anyone who commits a crime against a minor will also be required to register. You register in the municipality where you legally reside, not where the crime was committed. You are required to re-register each year and whenever you change your residence.

Some of the information you will need to provide when registering includes the following:

• Name
• Date of birth
• Social Security number
• Photo
• Vehicle information
• Address
• Information about the offense
• DNA sample
• Fingerprints

The public can access the registry using the National Sex Offender Public Website. This allows the public to search the entire country or use a specific zip code to find registered sex offenders near them. The public will be able to find out your name, what you look like, the offense you committed and where you live by searching the registry.

The sex offender registry is open to the public, which means if you must register for it your information can be found by anyone who searches. If you are facing a sex crime charge in Colorado Springs it's best that you fight this charge with an experienced criminal law attorney.

Source: FindLaw, "The Sex Offender Registry: What You Need To Know," accessed Jan. 29, 2018