Gainesville man convicted for failure to register as a sex offender

Press release from U.S. Attorney, Northern District of Florida

Yesterday afternoon, a federal jury in Gainesville convicted Octavius Durdley, 43, of Gainesville, for one count of failing to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). The conviction, which followed a 1-day trial that began on Tuesday, was announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

“Convicted sex offenders are legally required to comply with registration requirements,” said U.S. Attorney Coody. “Ensuring the safety of our communities is a top priority. The aggressive prosecution of sex offenders who fail or refuse to adhere to registration requirements is essential to that task.”

Durdley was originally convicted and sentenced in 2010 of a federal sex offense which required him to comply with both state and federal registration requirements. Upon his release in May 2019, he initially complied with SORNA’s registration requirements. However, in October 2019, he announced his intention not to comply with any supervision or registration requirements. In December 2019, he was found to have violated his federal supervision and was sentenced to 16 months imprisonment. Following his release from prison in January 2021, he again failed to comply with his supervision or registration requirements until he was arrested in April 2021.

United States Marshal Don Ladner remarked, “The U.S. Marshals are committed to ensuring that sex offenders follow all federal registration requirements. If these offenders fail to do so and break the law, we will fully investigate and prosecute their violations.”

Durdley’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 19, 2022, at 4:00 p.m., at the United States Courthouse in Gainesville before the Honorable United States District Judge Allen Winsor. Durdley faces up to ten years imprisonment, lifetime supervision, and a $75,000.00 fine.

The Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (“SORNA”), which was passed by Congress in 2006 as part of the Adam Walsh Act, provides a comprehensive set of minimum standards for sex offender registration and notification in the United States and seeks to strengthen the nationwide network of sex offender registration and notification programs. In part, SORNA requires registered sex offenders to register and keep their registration current in each jurisdiction in which they reside, work, or go to school.

This conviction was the result of an investigation by the United States Marshal’s Service. Assistant United States Attorney F.T. Williams prosecuted this case.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.