U.S. Marshals Violent Offender Task Force Arrests Individual for Failure to Register as Sex Offender

San Juan, PR – The U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) Puerto Rico Violent Offender Task Force (PRVOTF), in collaboration with the Department of Natural Resources Ranger Corps (DRNA), Puerto Rico Police Department (PRPD) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) arrested today a man on federal charges of failure to register as sex offender. 

Jay Warren Smith was arrested by the authorities in Erizo camp, “Las Picuas” sector in Rio Grande. 

Smith, according to a federal indictment, failed to register in the District of Puerto Rico as a sex offender as required by the Sexual Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA), in violation of 18 U.S. Code 2250. Smith was convicted for sex offense in a parental role in North Carolina and was required to register under SORNA from on or about Dec. 20, 2023.

The USMS District of Puerto Rico served as the lead investigative agency responsible for the indictment. 

“A strong commitment of the U.S. Marshals Service mission is to identify these individuals who knowingly avoid sex offender registration, mandated by federal law and bring them to justice,” said Wilmer Ocasio-Ibarra, U.S. Marshal for the District of Puerto Rico. “We remain vigilant, fully engaged, and grateful for the cooperation of partner agencies during this investigation.

“Individuals who believe they can evade justice and fail to comply with established legal requirements, including sex offender registration, must understand that they will face serious consequences. At the United States Marshals Service in the District of Puerto Rico, protecting our communities and enforcing the law remains one of our highest priorities.

“This arrest was made possible through close collaboration with our law enforcement partners. We also recognize and appreciate the continued support of the public, whose information is critical in helping identify, locate, and remove dangerous individuals from our communities.

“We encourage the public to continue working alongside law enforcement. Together, we will continue making our streets safer,” he said. 

If you have information about the whereabouts of any state or federal fugitive, please contact the U.S. Marshals Service at 1-877-WANTED2 or submit information through the USMS Tips App.

PRVOTF partners include the U.S. Marshals Service for the District of Puerto Rico, the Puerto Rico Police Bureau, San Juan Police Department, Bayamon Police Department, the Puerto Rico State Marshal’s Office, the Puerto Rico Department of Corrections, the U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services Office, the Puerto Rico Department of Internal Revenue, and the Puerto Rico National Guard Counterdrug Program.

The mission of the PRVOTF remains clear: locate and arrest violent fugitives, protect communities from dangerous offenders, and uphold justice without exception.