State v. Benjamin Charette

¶ 1. The issue in this case is whether an individual who is convicted of a sex offense can be compelled to register as a sex offender if the putative victim was an adult undercover police officer posing as a minor child. Defendant appeals the trial court's decision requiring him to register as a sex offender. He argues the plain language of the sex offender registration statute requires that the underlying crime be committed against an actual minor victim. Considering the structure and purpose of the statute, we conclude that 13 V.S.A. § 5401(10)(B) encompasses attempted crimes against a…