Bristol Man Pleads Guilty to Failing to Register as a Sex Offender

ABINGDON, Va. – A Bristol, Virginia man, who spent two years on the run as a fugitive in Mexico before being arrested in March, pled guilty today to failing to register as a convicted sex offender.

Corey Richard Parton, 36, pled guilty today to failing to register and update a registration under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (“SORNA”) and failing to provide information required by SORNA relating to intended travel in foreign commerce.

According to court documents, in December 2018 Parton was convicted in Russell County, Virginia for proposing a sex act by a communications system and soliciting child pornography, both felonies. Based on these convictions, Parton was a sex offender who was required to register under SORNA. Records indicate that Parton completed his initial registration as a sex offender with the Commonwealth of Virginia on April 16, 2019. Parton was required to re-register every 90 days.

On August 8, 2023, the Virginia State Police (“VSP”) began an investigation into Parton’s SORNA registration information. The VSP investigation determined that Parton had failed to update his home address, vehicle registration information, place of employment, and use of social media - which he was prohibited from using - and place of employment. As a result, re-registration forms were sent to Parton with instructions for Parton to update this information.

However, these forms were never returned.

As a result, Parton was charged with three SORNA violations in Bristol, Virginia General District Court and subsequently arrested on August 16, 2023, and given a bond. Through further investigation, law enforcement discovered that, following his release, Parton had traveled to Galveston, Texas where he boarded a cruise ship that stopped in Cancun, Mexico. Parton got off the cruise ship in Cancun and never boarded the ship when it left port.

Authorities located Parton living at the Ocean Dream Hotel in Coco Bongo Beach, Cancun, Mexico living under the name Dominque Garcia. He was arrested on May 25, 2025.

Robert N. Tracci, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia and Colonel Matthew D. Hanley, Superintendent of Virginia State Police, made the announcement.

The United States Marshals Service and the Virginia State Police are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Danielle Stone is prosecuting the case.