Waterbury Resident Charged with Violating Sex Offender Registration Laws

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that a federal grand jury in Hartford has returned an Indictment charging ISMAEL SANCHEZ COLON, 44, with violating the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).

The indictment was returned on April 12, 2018, and SANCHEZ COLON was arrested this morning.  He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert A. Richardson in Hartford and was ordered detained.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in December 2001, SANCHEZ COLON was convicted in the State of Wisconsin of the felony offense of causing a child between the ages of 13 and 18 to view sexual activity.  He was sentenced to 60 days of incarceration and five years of probation.  He also was ordered to comply with sex offender registration requirements for a period of 15 years after completion of his term of probation.

It is alleged that SANCHEZ COLON began residing in Connecticut in approximately April 2016, based on evidence that he obtained food stamps and Husky healthcare benefits at that time, and he has not registered as a sex offender in this state, as required by law.  During this time, SANCHEZ COLON has been registered in Puerto Rico, and it appears that SANCHEZ COLON has traveled to Puerto Rico since April 2016 to update his registration.

SANCHEZ COLON’s alleged non-compliance with sex offender registration requirements in Connecticut was discovered when he used his Waterbury address in the process of renewing his U.S. passport.  

If convicted of the offense, SANCHEZ COLON faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.

U.S. Attorney Durham stressed that an indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  A defendant is entitled to a fair trial at which it is the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

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