New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Failure to Register as a Sex Offender

NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that HAROLD McARTHUR, age 33, of New Orleans, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Court Judge Carl J. Barbier to one count of failure to register as a sex offender under the federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).

According to court documents, On about August 26, 2010, McARTHUR was convicted in 2010 of indecency with a child (sexual contact) in Harris County, Texas.  He was sentenced to 6 years with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Department of Corrections and required to register as a sex offender for life.

Since at least 2016, McARTHUR registered as a sex offender in Harris County, Texas, claiming a residential address in Katy, Texas.  However, federal and state law enforcement officers determined that McARTHUR actually had been residing in New Orleans, since at least July 2017.  McARTHUR was arrested at his residence in New Orleans on April 18, 2018, by members of the U.S. Marshal’s Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force.

McARTHUR faces a maximum term of 10 years in prison and a $250,000.00 fine.  He also would have to be sentenced to a term of supervised release of between 5 years and life.  Judge Barbier scheduled McARTHUR’s sentencing for September 6, 2018.

U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Marshals Service, the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Louisiana State Police in this matter.  He extended his thanks to the New Orleans Police Department and the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office for their assistance.  Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Payne is in charge of prosecution.