Sex Offender Sentenced to Prison for Violating Federal Registration and Notification Law

Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that LESTER JOY, 34, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 27 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for failing to register as a sex offender.

The Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (“SORNA”), which was passed by Congress in 2006 as part of the Adam Walsh Act, provides a comprehensive set of minimum standards for sex offender registration and notification in the United States and seeks to strengthen the nationwide network of sex offender registration and notification programs.  In part, SORNA requires registered sex offenders to register and keep their registration current in each jurisdiction in which they reside, work, or go to school.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 25, 2002, JOY was convicted in the State of New Jersey of sexual assault in the second degree, endangering the welfare of a child in the third degree and theft in the third degree.  For these offenses, he was sentenced to three years of imprisonment, lifetime community supervision and was subject to lifetime registration as a sex offender.  On January 4, 2006, JOY was convicted in Suffolk County, New York, of three counts of rape in the third degree, two counts of criminal sexual acts in the third degree and two counts of disseminating indecent material to a minor.  For these offenses, he was sentenced to a period of 42 to 84 months of incarceration and lifetime probation.

In 2013, prior to his release from prison, JOY was informed of his registration obligations under SORNA and he signed forms stating that he understood his sex offender registration requirements in both New York and New Jersey.

On November 30, 2013, JOY was released from the Morris County, New Jersey jail following service of a sentence for violation of his lifetime term of community supervision in New Jersey.  However, he did not register as a sex offender in either New Jersey or New York, and moved to Connecticut.  He failed to notify New Jersey, New York and Connecticut officials of his move to Connecticut, as required.

JOY has been detained since his arrest in New Haven on March 16, 2014.  He pleaded guilty to the offense on February 23, 2015.

This matter was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Deborah R. Slater.