Sex offender living in Hillsboro sentenced for failure to register change of address

A Hillsboro man was sentenced Wednesday to a year and a half in prison after pleading guilty to failure to register a change of address as a registered sex offender.

As previously reported, John Williamson Jr., 60, was indicted on the third-degree felony charge in June.

The indictment alleged that “beginning on or about April 1 and continuing thereafter,” Williamson “failed to provide notice of any change of address within 20 days by written notice.”

Williamson pleaded guilty to the charge Aug. 28, court records show.

Although the plea agreement contained a joint recommendation of community control, Highland County Common Plea Court Judge Rocky Coss reminded Williamson that the recommendation was “not binding on the court.”

Coss went over Williamson’s prior criminal record, which the judge said included offenses such as attempted murder (in Texas) and abduction (in Adams County), among other charges.

“When I review your history, it’s extremely disturbing,” Coss said. “Given your history, I think that it’s a risk to the public that you be put on community control. I don’t think there’s much likelihood you will comply.”

Coss sentenced Williamson to 18 months in prison in the Correctional Reception Center in Orient, with jail time credit of 72 days.

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