Charleston man pleads guilty for failing to register as a sex offender

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston man faces up to 10 years in federal prison after pleading guilty today to failing to register as a sex offender, announced United States Attorney Carol Casto. Hershel Vanhoose, 43, also faces a term of federal supervised release of at least five years and up to life following his sentence.

Vanhoose admitted that from early 2016 until his arrest on February 12, 2017, he failed to register as a sex offender as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act. On February 12, 2017, Vanhoose was arrest by the Charleston Police Department on an outstanding warrant for failure to update his registration in Ohio. Vanhoose was required to register as a sex offender because of a 2003 Ohio conviction for gross sexual imposition involving a minor.

Vanhoose is scheduled to be sentenced on October 18, 2017.

The Charleston Police Department, the United States Marshals Service, and the West Virginia State Police conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald is in charge of the prosecution. The plea hearing was held before United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston.

This case is being prosecuted as part of an ongoing initiative of the United States Attorney’s Office to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse in the Southern District of West Virginia.

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