DeKalb County Man Arrested for Failure to Register in the State of Alabama as Sex Offender

BIRMINGHAM – A DeKalb County man was arrested for a violation of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act announced U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town and U.S. Marshal Martin Keely.  

A criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court charges JASON WIENK, 45, with failure to register or update registration in violation of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).  Wienk was convicted of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child in the Circuit Court of Winnebago County, Illinois.  Such criminal conviction requires Wienk to register as a sex offender for life.  Wienk moved across state lines to Alabama and did not register as a sex offender.  Wienk will be detained and held in federal custody pending disposition of this case.

“Sexual assault of an innocent child is despicable,” Town said.  “U.S. Marshals proved in this case that sex offenders who flee to another state, and violate the law by not registering as a sex offender in that state, will be caught.  Our net will always be bigger than their map.  We appreciate the investigative work of the U.S. Marshals Service in Alabama and Illinois, and our partnership with the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office, in this investigation.”

Under the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006, if a convicted sex offender travels to another state and fails to register as required by law, he/she is subject to federal prosecution that carries penalties of a fine and/or imprisonment for up to 10 years.

U.S. Marshals Service for the Northern District of Alabama and Northern District of Illinois along with DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney R. Leann White is prosecuting the case.

A criminal complaint contains only charges.  A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.