United States Attorney Leura G. Canary Middle District of Alabama

CONVICTED SEX OFFENDER INDICTED FOR FAILING TO REGISTER

Florida Man Fails to Register in Autauga County

MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA— Leura G. Canary, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Alabama, announced today that a federal grand jury returned an indictment against John Garry Bournes, age 54, of Florida, for failing to register as a sex offender.

The indictment alleges that between August 2007 and November 2007, in Autauga County, Bournes, while being required to register under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (“SORNA”), and having traveled in interstate commerce, failed to register as required by SORNA, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2250. According to court documents, on June 25, 1991, in Florida, Bournes was convicted of Handling and Fondling a Child under the age of 16 years old . Bournes was sentenced to 15 years in the Florida State Department of Corrections, but was released from custody in 2002. Bournes relocated to Prattville in August 2007. In November 2007, Bournes attempted to obtain a drivers license at the Alabama Department of Public Safety Office located in Autauga County. While processing Bournes’ drivers’ license application, law enforcement discovered that Bournes was a convicted sex offender and he had failed to register as a sex offender in Alabama. Law enforcement also discovered that there is a Florida arrest warrant for Bournes due to his failure to register as a sex offender in Florida.

Bournes was previously arrested on a federal complaint. Today, United States Magistrate Judge Terry Moorer conducted a detention hearing and arraignment. After hearing evidence of Bournes’ risk of flight, United States Magistrate Judge Terry Moorer ordered Bournes to remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending trial. Bournes’ case is set for trial on March 17, 2008, before United States District Judge Myron Thompson. If convicted of the offense charged in the indictment, Bournes would face a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and up to 3 years of supervised release following his release from prison.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In May 2006, the U.S. Department of Justice launched Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.

This case was investigated through the joint efforts of the United States Marshals Service, Prattville Police Department, and Alabama Department of Public Safety. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jerusha T. Adams.

Members of the public are reminded that the indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.