BURGAW — A Pender County man is headed back to prison for 13-25 months for an attempt at failing to register as a sex offender.
Najjah Mack, 47, was convicted of aggravated sexual battery in Norfolk, Virginia in 2000. Upon his release from prison, he was required to register as a sex offender, with the registration period being the defendant’s lifetime (unless a petition was granted). Mack was released from prison and registered his address in Pender County in June 2007.
According to the district attorney’s office, a parole offficer went to the
defendant’s address of record to verify that he was still living there in January 2024. After a series of home visits where no one was home and phone calls that went unanswered, the defendant finally confirmed he was outside of Pender County in February 2024 and planned to return in March once he finished some side
jobs.
The law requires that a sex offender on the sex offender registry notify the sheriff’s office within 72 hours after the person knows or should know that he will be working and maintaining a temporary residence in a different county if it is for more than 10 days within a 30-day period.
“Requiring sex offenders to be on a registry provides benefits for public safety and community awareness,” Assistant District Attorney Rebecca Z. Donaldson said in a press release. “It allows law enforcement agencies to monitor and track the whereabouts of sex offenders, helping to prevent recidivism and reduce the risk of future offenses. It enables residents to be informed about the presence of sex offenders in their neighborhoods, allowing them to take precautionary measures to protect themselves and their families. Additionally, it holds offenders accountable by requiring them to regularly update their information, ensuring that they remain visible to authorities and the public.”
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