Florence Sex Offender Sent to Prison for Failing to Register

United States Attorney W. Walter Wilkins stated today that Rakeem Lavone Everett, age 30, of Florence, South Carolina, was sentenced in federal court for failing to register as a sex offender, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2250(a). United States District Judge Terry L. Wooten of Florence sentenced Everett to 26 months imprisonment, followed by three years supervised release.

Evidence established that in March 1998, Everett was convicted of endangering the welfare of a child in New Jersey and designated as a sex offender. Everett failed to maintain or update his registration as a sex offender as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act. In May 2008, New Jersey authorities requested the assistance of the United States Marshal Service in South Carolina in apprehending Everett, and he was arrested in Florence on June 4, 2008. Everett admitted he failed to notify New Jersey authorities that he was moving, and failed to register in South Carolina as a sex offender when he settled in the state.

The case was investigated by agents of the United States Marshal Service. Assistant United States Attorney William E. Day, II, of the Florence office handled the case.