May 6, 2010
DEFENDANT WHO COMMITTED SEXUAL ASSAULT IN LAKEWOOD SENTENCED FEDERALLY FOR FAILING TO REGISTER AS SEX OFFENDER
DENVER – United States Attorney David M. Gaouette and U.S. Marshal John L. Kammerzell announced that Matthew Preston Caulk, age 43, was sentenced yesterday by Senior U.S. District Court Judge Walker D. Miller to serve 45 months in federal prison for failing to register as a sex offender. After his term of incarceration, Caulk was ordered by Judge Miller to serve 8 years on supervised release. Caulk’s federal conviction for failure to register as a sex offender follows a prior sexual assault in Washington state, after which he moved to Colorado but failed to register here. While in an unregistered status in Colorado, Caulk committed another sexual assault in Lakewood, for which he was convicted and served a state sentence. His federal sentence now follows his state sentence. Caulk was located after he was featured on America’s Most Wanted and local media outlets, when it was discovered that he was with a runaway minor girl.
Matthew Preston Caulk was first charged by Criminal Complaint on October 5, 2007. He was indicted by a federal grand jury in Denver on October 23, 2007. He pled guilty before Senior Judge Miller on December 10, 2009. He was sentenced on May 5, 2010.
According to the stipulated facts contained in the plea agreement, on September 27, 2007, a Lakewood Police Department detective contacted the Colorado U.S. Marshals Service regarding a missing 16 year old female, who had run away from home and was believed to be in the company of Matthew Caulk. The Marshals Service investigated Caulk for possible violations of federal law, and learned that on October 7, 2002, Caulk was convicted of Sexual Misconduct with a Minor (a misdemeanor), and was sentenced to 365 days in jail (with 185 days suspended). The conviction required the defendant to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
On August 30, 2005, Caulk was convicted in Pierce County, Washington, for failure to register as a sex offender. In 2006 the defendant moved to Montana. According to the plea agreement, Caulk contends that he attempted unsuccessfully to register as a sex offender in Montana. The parties stipulated that Caulk was later charged and convicted for that failure to register in Montana in April 2007. He was again advised of his duty to register. Later in 2007, Caulk, while still under sentence and/or supervision in Montana, moved to Colorado, where he remained until his arrest and later conviction for sexual assault and third degree assault (at risk) of a minor in Lakewood, Colorado. On July 10, 2008, Caulk was sentenced to 18 months incarceration for his offenses.
Marshal Kammerzell stated, “The U.S. Marshals are committed to the pursuit of justice put forth in the U.S. constitution. With a legacy dating back to 1789, our dedication to the mission and responsibilities of our agency has remained steadfast. In particular, and since 2006, Deputy United States Marshals have actively worked with local peace officers in the effort to locate, apprehend, and bring sex offenders to justice. This case further demonstrates the sound partnership between the U.S. Marshals Service, the United States Attorney’s Office and our local and state law enforcement partners.”
This case was investigated by the Colorado Adam Walsh Task force, with investigative cooperation between the U.S. Marshals Service in Colorado and Montana, the Lakewood Police Department, the Jefferson County Sheriff and the First Judicial District Attorney’s Office – Child Sex Offender Internet Investigations which resulted in an arrest of the defendant.
The District of Colorado Adam Walsh Act Task Force is a multi-agency task force made up of over 30 federal, state and local agencies created to more effectively identify, locate and apprehend fugitive sex offenders that fail to register according to state and federal laws.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia Davies.
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