Georgia Sex Offender Sentenced to Prison for Failing to Register in Madison County, Florida

Tallahassee, Florida - Tavaris Andre Donaldson, 30, of Madison, Florida, was sentenced in federal court to 27 months in prison for failing to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: "Convicted sex offenders like this defendant are legally required to register with local authorities when they move to a new location. This legal requirement is necessary to keep our communities informed of their presence and safe, and my office will ensure those registration requirements are strictly enforced."

Court documents reflect that the defendant was convicted of child molestation in May 2014 in Lowndes County, Georgia, and, as a result, was required to register as a sex offender in each county where he lived and worked. Although the defendant had been registering as a sex offender as required in Lowndes County, Georgia, he absconded from there in October 2024 and traveled to Madison County, Florida, where he lived and worked. Employment records showed that the defendant began employment in Madison County, Florida, in early-2025; however, the defendant knowingly failed to report his employment and residence as required by SORNA.

After serving his term of imprisonment, Donaldson will have to serve eight years of supervised release.

"There is nothing more important than protecting our nation's children," said Acting U.S. Marshal Greg Leljedal. "If a sex offender crosses state lines and fails to register, the U.S. Marshals will arrest and bring charges against them for these violations."

The case involved a joint investigation by the Madison County Sheriff's Office and the United States Marshals Service. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice and led by the U.S. Attorney's Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.projectsafechildhood.govLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link..

The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation's principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of FloridaLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. website. For more information about the United States Attorney's Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.