USA v. Pettibone

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE DISTRICT OF RHODE ISLAND
_____________________________________
)
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, 	)
)
v. 	) 	No. 12-cr-026-JJM
)
WARD PETTIBONE, 	)
Defendant. 	)
_____________________________________ 	)
ORDER
Ward Pettibone was required to register as a tier-I sex offender for 15 years
under 34 U.S.C. § 20915(a)(1) (“SORNA” – the Sex Offender Registration and
Notification Act) after this Court sentenced him on August 3, 2012 to time served
followed by ten years of supervised release, with strict special conditions, after he
plead 	guilty 	to 	possession 	of 	child 	pornography 	in 	violation 	of 	28 	U.S.C.
§ 2252(a)(4)(B) and (b)(2).
SORNA also provides that the registration period “shall be reduced” by 5 years
when a tier-I sex offender maintains a “clear record” for 10 years. 	34 U.S.C.
§ 20915(b)(1). The statute defines a “clear record” as: (A) not being convicted of any
offense for which imprisonment for more than 1 year may be imposed; (B) not being
convicted of any sex offense; (C) successfully completing any periods of supervised
release, probation, and parole; and (D) successfully completing an appropriate sex
offender treatment program certified by a jurisdiction or by the Attorney General. 34
U.S.C. § 20915(b)(1).
The evidence before the Court is that Mr. Pettibone has met all four criteria
for the statutorily mandated reduction in registration obligation. 	Therefore, under
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the statute, the 	Court GRANTS Mr. Pettibone’s Motion and ORDERS that his
registration requirement is reduced to ten years.
IT IS SO ORDERED.
s/John J. McConnell, Jr.
______________________________
John J. McConnell, Jr.
United States District Judge
March 4, 2026
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