You are here: / Sex Offender Registration Act (SORA)
, ,

THE JUDGE DID NOT MAKE THE REQUIRED INQUIRY TO ENSURE DEFENDANT’S WAIVER OF HIS RIGHT TO COUNSEL FOR THE SORA HEARING WAS KNOWING, INTELLIGENT AND VOLUNTARY; THE NOTICE OF THE SORA HEARING PROVIDED TO DEFENDANT WAS INADEQUATE (FOURTH DEPT).

The Fourth Department, reversing County Court, determined the judge did not conduct the required inquiry to ensure defendant’s waiver of his right to counsel for the SORA hearing was knowing, intelligent and voluntary. The Fourth Department also noted that notice of the SORA hearing provided to the defendant was inadequate:

…[D]efendant’s purported waiver of the right to counsel is invalid. “It is well settled that defendants have a statutory right to counsel in SORA proceedings” … . In order for a defendant to validly waive his right to counsel, “the court must undertake a ‘searching inquiry . . . aimed at [e]nsuring that the defendant [is] aware of the dangers and disadvantages of proceeding without counsel’ ” … . Such an inquiry ensures that the defendant’s waiver is ” ‘made competently, intelligently and voluntarily’ ” … .

Here, County Court failed to conduct the necessary searching inquiry and, instead, relied upon defendant’s notation on the form notice he received about his SORA classification proceeding that he did “not wish to have counsel appointed.” …

… [T]he form notice provided to [defendant] about his SORA classification contained numerous deficiencies. The notice did not fully describe the SORA hearing or the consequences that would follow if defendant failed to appear … . It also appears that the court failed to provide defendant with a “copy of the recommendation received from the [Board of Examiners of Sex Offenders] and any statement of the reasons for the recommendation” … . In providing the requisite notice to defendants pursuant to section 168-n (3), courts should be tracking the language used in that statute instead of giving a shortened summary. People v Huntley, 2021 NY Slip Op 00688, Fourth Dept 2-5-21

 

, , ,

UPWARD DEPARTURE SUPPORTED BY EVIDENCE DEFENDANT COMMITTED RAPE TO TAKE REVENGE UPON SOMEONE OTHER THAN THE VICTIM; THE FACT DEFENDANT HAD BEEN DEPORTED DID NOT RENDER THE APPEAL MOOT (CT APP).

The Court of Appeals, in a brief memorandum decision, upheld the Appellate Division’s finding that the upward departure was justified because it was based on a risk factor not addressed the Sex Offender Registration Act (SORA) Guidelines. The court noted that the fact defendant had been deported did not render the appeal moot:

Under the circumstances presented here, we reject the People’s argument that defendant’s appeal is rendered moot by his deportation … . On the merits, we conclude that it was not an abuse of discretion for the Appellate Division to sustain the upward departure based on the People’s proof that defendant raped the victim in order to take revenge upon someone other than the victim—a risk factor not adequately captured by the Guidelines. People v Rosario, 2020 NY Slip Op 07688, CtApp 12-22-20

 

,

THE SEXUAL INTERCOURSE WAS DEEMED NONCONSENSUAL SOLELY BECAUSE THE VICTIM WAS 14; THE DEFENDANT WAS 27; DEFENDANT WAS NOT ENTITLED TO A DOWNWARD DEPARTURE TO RISK LEVEL ONE; THERE WAS A SUBSTANTIVE DISSENT (FIRST DEPT).

The First Department, over a dissent, determined defendant was not entitled to a downward risk level departure from level two to level one. The defendant was 27 when he had sexual intercourse with the fourteen-year-old victim. The majority argued the age difference precluded a departure:

The record shows that this 27 year-old defendant engaged in nonconsensual sexual intercourse with the victim, who was 14 years old, the only relevant crime considered by the SORA court regarding his risk level designation. * * *

While courts have recognized that sexual conduct that was nonconsensual solely by virtue of age may result in an over-assessment in risk level designation, those cases did not involve a defendant who was nearly twice as old as the victim, as in this case … . People v Romulus, 2020 NY Slip Op 07512, First Dept 12-15-20

 

,

DEFENDANT WAS ENTITLED TO A DOWNWARD DEPARTURE FROM LEVEL TWO TO LEVEL ONE IN THIS CHILD PORNOGRAPHY CASE (FIRST DEPT).

The First Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined defendant was entitled to a downward departure reducing his risk level from two to one. Defendant was convicted of possession of child pornography. The Court of Appeals has warned that over assessment of the risk should be avoided in child pornography cases:

… A preponderance of the evidence established that scoring under factors three and seven overassessed the risk posed by defendant, and that he should receive a downward departure (see Gillotti, 23 NY3d at 863-64). As the transcript of the federal plea proceeding makes clear, the federal prosecutor characterized defendant’s case as being on the very low end of the child pornography possession spectrum and did not contest a nonincarceratory disposition notwithstanding that the federal guidelines recommended a sentence of 33 to 41 months. The federal district court provided a long explanation on the record of why defendant was deserving of a nonincarceratory disposition, including his lifetime of hard work, his dedication to family, the many character letters provided, and the limited time period in which defendant was actually viewing child pornography. The Probation Department also recommended a nonincarceratory disposition in its presentencing report. An independent psychological evaluation of defendant found no cognitive impairment or compulsion that would suggest that defendant was likely to reoffend. In sum, this is the kind of case that Gillotti envisioned warranting a downward departure in order to avoid overassessing risk by rote application of factors three and seven. People v Gonzalez, 2020 NY Slip Op 07468, First Dept 12-10-20

 

,

IN THESE THREE CASES, CONFINING LEVEL THREE SEX OFFENDERS WHO ARE ELIGIBLE FOR RELEASE FROM PRISON UNTIL COMPLIANT HOUSING IS AVAILABLE WAS NOT A CONSTITUTIONAL VIOLATION (CT APP).

The Court of Appeals, in a full-fledged opinion by Judge Fahey, over two separate dissenting opinions, determined, in the three cases before the court, confining level three sex offenders who are eligible for release from prison until compliant housing is available was not a constitutional violation:

In these appeals, we consider constitutional challenges to the practice of temporarily confining level three sex offenders in correctional facilities, after the time they would otherwise be released to parole or postrelease supervision (PRS), while they remain on a waiting list for accommodation at a shelter compliant with Executive Law § 259-c (14). In each case, we conclude that there was no constitutional violation. People ex rel. Johnson v Superintendent, Adirondack Corr. Facility, 2020 NY Slip Op 06934, CtApp 11-23-20

 

, ,

SEX OFFENDERS SUBJECT TO POSTRELEASE SUPERVISION MAY BE HOUSED IN A RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT FACILITY BEYOND THE SIX-MONTH STATUTORY PERIOD BEFORE COMPLIANT HOUSING HAS BEEN FOUND (CT APP).

The Court of Appeals, in a full-fledged opinion by Judge Stein, over a three-judge dissent, determined that sex offenders under a period of postrelease supervision (PRS) maybe housed in a residential treatment facility (RTF) after the statutory six-month period has expired and before compliant housing has been found:

This appeal presents us with a question of statutory interpretation. Penal Law § 70.45 (3) provides that, “notwithstanding any other provision of law, the board of parole may impose as a condition of postrelease supervision (PRS) that for a period not exceeding six months immediately following release from the underlying term of imprisonment the person be transferred to and participate in the programs of a residential treatment facility (RTF).” Correction Law § 73 (10), in turn, authorizes the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) “to use any [RTF] as a residence for persons who are on community supervision,” which includes those on PRS (see Correction Law § 2 [31]). The question before us is whether Correction Law § 73 (10) authorizes DOCCS to provide temporary housing in an RTF to sex offenders subject to the mandatory condition set forth in the Sexual Assault Reform Act (SARA) (see Executive Law § 259—c [14]) after the six-month period specified in Penal Law § 70.45 (3) has expired but before the offender on PRS has located compliant housing. We conclude that it does. People ex rel. McCurdy v Warden, Westchester County Corr. Facility, 2020 NY Slip Op 06933, Ct App 11-23-20

 

, ,

ORDER ADJUDICATING DEFENDANT A LEVEL TWO SEX OFFENDER WAS DEFECTIVE; MATTER REMITTED (FOURTH DEPT).

The Fourth Department, reversing County Court, determined the order adjudicating defendant a level two sex offender was defective:

County Court failed to comply with Correction Law § 168-n (3), pursuant to which the court was required to set forth the findings of fact and conclusions of law upon which it based its determination. The standardized form order—which the court merely read into the record when rendering its oral decision—indicated without elaboration that the court was entirely adopting the case summary and risk assessment instrument prepared by the Board of Examiners of Sex Offenders, listed the risk factor point assessments contained therein, and denied in conclusory fashion defendant’s request for a downward departure. That was inadequate to fulfill the statutory mandate … . We therefore hold the case, reserve decision, and remit the matter to County Court for compliance with Correction Law § 168-n (3). People v Gatling, 2020 NY Slip Op 06921, Fourth Dept 11-20-20

 

,

RISK ASSESSMENT REDUCED FROM TWO TO ONE; DEFENDANT WAS CONVICTED OF STATUTORY RAPE WHEN HE WAS 22; THE VICTIMS, WHO WERE 15 AND 16, INITIATED THE CONSENSUAL ENCOUNTER (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reducing defendant’s risk assessment to level one, determined the Louisiana statutory rape conviction did not warrant a 25 point assessment. The defendant was 22 at the time and the victims, who initiated the consensual encounter, were 15 and 16:

“In cases of statutory rape, the Board has long recognized that strict application of the Guidelines may in some instances result in overassessment of the offender’s risk to public safety. The Guidelines provide that ‘[t]he Board or a court may choose to depart downward in an appropriate case and in those instances where (i) the victim’s lack of consent is due only to inability to consent by virtue of age and (ii) scoring 25 points in this category [risk factor 2, for sexual contact with the victim] results in an over-assessment of the offender’s risk to public safety'” … .

Considering all of the circumstances present here, including that this offense is the only sex-related crime in the defendant’s history, the defendant accepted responsibility for his crimes and was sentenced minimally in Louisiana, the assessment of 25 points under risk factor 2 results in an overassessment of the defendant’s risk to public safety … . People v Brocato, 2020 NY Slip Op 06295, Second Dept 11-4-20

 

,

TEN POINTS SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ASSESSED FOR AN OLD MINOR OFFENSE IN PRISON, DEFENDANT’S RISK ASSESSMENT REDUCED TO LEVEL ONE (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reducing defendant’s risk level to level one, determined the 10 point assessment for unsatisfactory conduct in prison was not justified:

However, the record does not contain clear and convincing evidence to support the assessment of 10 points under risk factor 13, for “unsatisfactory” conduct while confined, based upon his conviction of the class A misdemeanor of promoting prison contraband in the second degree (Penal Law § 205.20). This conviction constituted the sole act of misconduct while confined cited by the People, and it occurred approximately four years before the SORA hearing, prior to the defendant’s transfer to State prison. Since the defendant’s misconduct was neither recent nor repeated, the assessment of points for that misdemeanor was not supported by the record … . People v Hernandez, 2020 NY Slip Op 06159, Second Dept 10-28-20

 

,

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE OF SEXUAL CONTACT; RISK LEVEL REDUCED FROM LEVEL TWO TO ONE (FOURTH DEPT).

The Fourth Department, reducing defendant’s risk level from two to one, determined the evidence of sexual contact was not sufficient:

… [T]he record is devoid of any evidence, much less the requisite clear and convincing evidence … , that defendant touched the victim’s “sexual or other intimate parts.” Rather, the record contains only a statement from the victim that defendant “touched her inappropriately.” An “inappropriate” touch, however, encompasses a far broader array of conduct than that classified as “sexual conduct” by section 130.00 (3). …

… [A]lthough defendant was indicted for aggravated sexual battery under Tennessee law—an offense that includes “sexual contact” as an element (see Tenn Code Ann §§ 39-13-501 [6]; 39-13-504 [a])—he was ultimately convicted only of attempted aggravated sexual battery, and it is well established that ” ‘the fact that an offender was arrested or indicted for an offense is not, by itself, evidence that the offense occurred’ ” … . People v Bryant, 2020 NY Slip Op 05646, Fourth Dept 10-9-20

 

Categories

Sign Up for the Mailing List to Be Notified When the Site Is Updated.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Copyright © 2026 New York Appellate Digest, Inc.
Site by CurlyHost | Privacy Policy