Failure to Register as a Sex Offender

By: John Guidry II

Failure to register as a sex offender is a ridiculously serious charge. Taxpayer money is being wasted as people go to prison for this and it should be, like, a parking ticket. It should be a fine.

Failure to register is a Level 7 offense, that just means it scores mandatory prison and that’s unfortunate.

Let’s get into some advice on how to handle these things, ok. There are sex offender task forces everywhere, as you know. And, their job is to go verify the addresses, knock on doors. The problem is, its not a crime to not answer the door. You are constitutionally permitted to sit on your couch and finish the overtime, finish the fourth quarter. You don’t have to get up and answer the door. Just because they don’t find you at your house ever, doesn’t mean that you’ve committed some crime. It is only your job to register where you live. And if you’ve done that, if you’ve complied with the job, then the fact that they can’t find you there–tough luck. That’s not a crime. They think it is, but that’s a dismissal.

So, I recommend getting with an attorney immediately. There are a lot of loopholes on cases like this but the problem I find is, if you thought you could talk your way out of this and before you hired an attorney, then you might have screwed yourself on some of the loopholes.

The good news is, these things are getting dismissed left and right. The good news is, they’re defensible, ok? And, the good news is that there is help out there, so take advantage of the help.

Get a good local attorney, make sure you ask them a pretty obvious question, which is: “Gee, have you defended any of these cases before?” You’d be surprised how many attorneys really haven’t defended these sorts of cases. Call a local attorney that is familiar with the judges in your area and what they’re doing on these cases. And, this thing will work out for you. I wish you luck. Also, if you’re accused of this sort of thing here in Central Florida, meaning Orange, Seminole, Volusia, Brevard, Lake, or Osceola County, my office handles these here and we’d be happy to help.

About John Guidry II

John Guidry II is a seasoned criminal defense attorney and founder of the Law Firm of John P. Guidry II, P.A., located in downtown Orlando next to the Orange County Courthouse, where he has practiced for over 30 years. With more than three decades of experience defending clients throughout Central Florida since 1993, Guidry has successfully defended thousands of cases in Orange, Seminole, Osceola, Brevard, Lake, and Volusia counties. He has built a reputation for his strategic approach to criminal defense, focusing on pretrial motions and case dismissals rather than jury trials.

Guidry earned both his Juris Doctorate and Master of Business Administration from St. Louis University in 1993. He is a member of the Florida Bar and the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. His practice encompasses the full spectrum of Florida state criminal charges, with a particular emphasis on achieving favorable outcomes through thorough pretrial preparation and motion practice.

Beyond the courtroom, Guidry is a prolific legal educator who has authored over 400 articles on criminal defense topics. He shares his legal expertise through his popular YouTube channel, Instagram, and TikTok accounts, where he has built a substantial following of people eager to learn about the law. His educational content breaks down complex legal concepts into accessible information for the general public.

When not practicing law, Guidry enjoys tennis and pickleball, and loves to travel. Drawing from his background as a former recording studio owner and music video producer in the Orlando area, he brings a creative perspective to his legal practice and continues to apply his passion for video production to his educational content.