West Virginia
N.C. man faces prison after relocating to W.Va. without updating sex offender registration
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WCHS) — A North Carolina sex offender who relocated to West Virginia is facing prison time after violating federal registration mandates, prosecutors said.
James Terry Lawson Jr., 43, pleaded guilty Tuesday to failing to register and update registration as a sex offender, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia.
The release said Lawson was convicted of indecent liberties with children in North Carolina back in 2003. The man lived in Vienna, W.Va., in late 2024 and early 2025 without registering as a sex offender.
Prosecutors noted Lawson has previous convictions for failing to maintain records in 2009 and 2017.
Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 5 when Lawson faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release time and a fine of up to $250,000.