Judge Issues Bench Warrant for Child Sex Abuse Defendant

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During a March 1 hearing, DC Superior Court Judge Lynn Leibovitz issued a bench warrant for a child sex abuse defendant, who is on release.

The 42-year-old defendant is charged with one count of failure to register as a sex offender in the District of Columbia.

Stuart Johnson, the defendant’s defense lawyer, said he has not been able to get into contact with the defendant.

According to court documents, he was convicted of criminal sexual conduct in South Carolina involving a 12-year-old child on Nov. 11, 1998. He was required to register as a sex offender for 10-years upon release.

In 2020, 2021, and 2022, the defendant failed to re-register as a sex offender.

He pleaded guilty to failure to register as a sex offender on Dec. 14, 2022 and was sentenced on Feb. 10.

He received a 20-month suspended sentence and three years of supervised release, with one year probation. He was required to register as a sex offender within 24 hours of being released as part of his probation.

The prosecution claimed that the defendant did not register within 24 hours of release and still has not done so.

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