LIBERTY, NY — On Sunday, July 29,  the Village of Liberty Police Department arrested Ralph Champlain, 51, of Liberty after an investigation into his failure to register as a sex offender in the time frame prescribed by law. Under the New York State Sex Offender Registration Act (SORA), all individuals designated as a level 3 sex offender are required to physically appear at a local police department to register and verify their physical address among other information every 90 days.  After an investigation into an allegation that Champlain had failed to meet this requirement within the prescribed 90-day time frame, he was located at his residence and arrested without incident. Champlain was charged with a violation of the New York State Sex Offender Registration Act, Corrections Law 0168-f (3) Duty to register and to verify, a Class D Felony.

Champlain was arraigned in the Town of Liberty Court and remanded to Sullivan County Jail without bail.  

Chief of Police Steven D’Agata stated, “ My department will continue to enforce a zero-tolerance policy with regard to sex offenders’ legal obligation to register and verify their address and internet accounts. The Liberty Police Department will continue to actively monitor all sex offenders residing in the Village of Liberty and aggressively investigate those who are in violation of the law. If you are a registered sex offender in the Village of Liberty and are not in compliance with your legal requirements you will be found and you will be investigated, arrested and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law”

Criminal charges are merely allegations that a defendant has committed violations of the criminal law, and as such they are not evidence of guilt. All defendants have a presumption of innocence and are entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the burden of the State of New York to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.