RUSSELL W. BROWN (d.o.b. 5-30-1967), of Merriam Woods, Missouri, was sentenced on Thursday, February 7, 2013, to three (3) years in prison for the class D felony of Failing to Register as a Sex Offender. Taney County Circuit Court Judge Mark Orr sentenced Brown pursuant to a plea agreement between Brown’s attorney and Taney County Prosecutor Jeff Merrell.

The felony charge resulted from a routine compliance check conducted by the Taney County Sheriff’s Office. When deputies attempted to confirm the address Brown had disclosed on his most recent sex offender registration form as his residence, they found he had not lived there for many weeks. “I’m thankful that the Sheriff’s Office continues to conduct these routine checks on the whereabouts of registered sex offenders,” said Taney County Prosecuting Attorney Jeff Merrell. “These are necessary compliance checks to ensure that we have accurate information on where convicted sex offenders are living. The registration is a good first step, but enforcement is imperative to providing accurate information to the community, through the Sheriff’s online registry. Hopefully, citizens are using the registry as a tool in keeping their respective families safe.”

A class D felony carries a maximum penalty of four (4) years in prison and/or a fine of not more than $5,000.00.