Former Erie Man Facing 10 Years in Prison for Failing to Register as a Sex Offender

ERIE, Pa. - A former resident of Erie, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of failure to register under SORNA, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.

James Foster Wilcox, 28, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge David S. Cercone.

In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that Wilcox knowingly failed to update his registration as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.

Judge Cercone scheduled sentencing for December 21, 2015 at 1:30 p.m. The law provides for a total sentence of 10 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The United States Marshal’s Service conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Wilcox.