State v. Barnett

THIGPEN, Judge.

Keith Antonio Barnett (“Defendant”) appeals from a jury verdict finding him guilty of failing to notify the sheriffs office of change of address as required for a registered sex offender under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-208.9. The indictment in this case failed to specify that Defendant was “a person required to register,” an essential element of the charged offense. This defect rendered the indictment insufficient to confer subject matter jurisdiction upon the trial court, and we must therefore arrest the trial court’s judgment and vacate Defendant’s conviction.

I. Factual &…