Boone County Man Sentenced to Prison for Violating the Federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Richard Dale Turner, 44, of Julian, was sentenced on Monday, March 2, 2026, to two years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for failure to update his registration to report a change in employment and interstate travel, as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).

According to court documents and statements made in court, Turner is required to register as a sex offender as a result of his conviction for third-degree sexual assault in Mason County Circuit Court on March 8, 2016. Turner failed to report a change in his employment status as required when he left a job with a trucking firm on January 3, 2025. An arrest warrant was issued for Turner when he failed to appear for a scheduled court appearance on June 23, 2025. On August 15, 2025, law enforcement officers captured Turner in Santa Rosa County, Florida. Turner failed to register as a sex offender in Florida or report his interstate travel in West Virginia.

United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Marshals Service (USMS).

United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage prosecuted the case.

SORNA is part of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 and provides a comprehensive set of minimum standards for sex offender registration and notification in the United States. SORNA seeks to strengthen the nationwide network of sex offender registration and notification programs, in part by requiring registered sex offenders to register and keep their registration current in each jurisdiction in which they reside, work, or go to school.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACERLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-168.

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