CONVICTED SEX OFFENDER SENTENCED FOR NOT COMPLYING WITH SEX OFFENDER REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS

Martin C. Carlson, Acting United States Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Derrick Howell, age 36, of Middletown, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Yvette Kane to a nine-month term of imprisonment for failure to register as a sex offender.

According to Acting U.S. Attorney Carlson, in 1994 Howell was convicted of sexual assault in the state of Tennessee. As a result of this conviction, Howell was required to comply with the sex offender registration laws of Tennessee and of any other state in which he lived or was employed. In early 2007, Howell obtained employment in Pennsylvania; however, Howell neglected to register with the state sex offender registry.

This case was investigated by the Harrisburg Police and the United States Marshals Service and prosecuted by Acting U.S, States Attorney Martin C. Carlson as part of Project Safe Childhood. In February 2006, Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.

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