Judge questions Auburn sex offender on attitude toward registration laws

AUBURN -  District Judge Julie Smith emphasized the importance of enforcing Nebraska’s sex offender registration laws at a sentencing hearing in Auburn Wednesday.

The judge sentenced 32-year-old Christopher Johnson of Auburn to four years probation and 90 days in jail for failure to report to the sheriff’s office every three months.

Johnson is also scheduled for arraignment in Nemaha County Court March 16 for failure to register a Ford Mustang he had been driving.

Prior to sentencing Wednesday Judge Smith said it is hard to reconcile the new charges with Johnson’s previous statement that he expected a “slap on the wrist” for not reporting to the sheriff’s office because it would not happen again.

Smith: “When asked what your parents think of the current charges, you said they think it is ...  (B.S.) as do I. Is that what you think Mr. Johnson? ...

She waited.

Smith: “You don’t have to answer that. Let me rephrase. Do you understand that it is your obligation to comply with the sex offender registration laws?”

Smith: “I don’t want to give you the impression that you don’t have to register and that you’ll get a slap on the wrist.”

Prior to sentencing, Public Defender Keith Kollasch said Johnson was originally put on the sex offender registration list on a Texas case and said he was not familiar with Nebraska laws regarding reporting every three months and reporting vehicles.