McGuffy man charged with failing to register as sex offender

An indictment was filed charging Terry Joe Higdon, 47, of McGuffy, Ohio, with failing to register under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, said Steven M. Dettelbach, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after reviewing factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, and the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation.  In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.

The investigating agency in this case is the U.S. Marshal Service.  The case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Tracey Ballard Tangeman.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.