MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – A Hampshire County, West Virginia, man and a Monongalia County, West Virginia, man were indicted this week by a federal grand jury on sex offender registration violations, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.

Anthony Dale Helton, of High View, age 50, was indicted on one count of “Failure to Register.” Helton, who had previously been convicted of a sex offense in South Carolina, is accused of traveling across state lines without updating his sex offender registration, as required by law, in November and December 2017 in Hampshire County. 

In a separate case, Robert W. Tucker, Jr., of Star City, age 43, was indicted on one count of “Failure to Update Sex Offender Registration.” Rucker is accused of traveling from Monongalia County, West Virginia to South Carolina and North Carolina, without updating his registry, as required by law, in August 2016 and September 2017.

Helton and Tucker each face up to 10 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher is prosecuting the Helton case on behalf of the government. Assistant U.S. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara E. Wagner is prosecuting the Tucker case on behalf of the government. The United States Marshals Service investigated both cases.

An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.