(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this code to the contrary, any defendant convicted after the effective date of this section of a violation of § 61-8-12 of this code or a felony violation of the provisions of §61-8B-1 et seq., §61-8C-1 et seq., and §61-8D-1 et seq., of this code shall, as part of the sentence imposed at final disposition, be required to serve, in addition to any other penalty or condition imposed by the court, a period of supervised release of up to 50 years: Provided, That the period of supervised release imposed by the court pursuant to this section for a defendant convicted after the effective date of this section as amended and reenacted during the first extraordinary session of the Legislature, 2006, of a violation of §61-8B-3 or § 61-8B-7 of this code and sentenced pursuant to §62-12-9(a) of this code, shall be no less than 10 years: Provided, however, That a defendant designated after the effective date of this section as amended and reenacted during the first extraordinary session of the Legislature, 2006, as a sexually violent predator pursuant to the provisions of § 15-12-2a of this code shall be subject, in addition to any other penalty or condition imposed by the court, to supervised release for life: Provided further, That a defendant convicted of a violation of §61-8A-2, §61-8A-4, or § 61-3C-14b of this code on and after the effective date of the amendment to this section enacted during the 2021 regular session of the Legislature is subject to the provisions of this section: And Provided further, That pursuant to the provisions of subsections (a) and (h) of this section, a court may modify, terminate, or revoke any term of supervised release imposed pursuant to this subsection.

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Terms Used In West Virginia Code 62-12-26

  • Allegation: something that someone says happened.
  • Amendment: A proposal to alter the text of a pending bill or other measure by striking out some of it, by inserting new language, or both. Before an amendment becomes part of the measure, thelegislature must agree to it.
  • Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • Offense: includes every act or omission for which a fine, forfeiture, or punishment is imposed by law. See West Virginia Code 2-2-10
  • Probation: A sentencing alternative to imprisonment in which the court releases convicted defendants under supervision as long as certain conditions are observed.
  • Summons: Another word for subpoena used by the criminal justice system.

(b) Any person required to be on supervised release between the minimum term of 10 years and life pursuant to the provisos of §62-12-26(a) of this code also shall be further prohibited from:

(1) Establishing a residence or accepting employment within 1,000 feet of a school or child care facility or within 1,000 feet of the residence of a victim or victims of any sexually violent offenses for which the person was convicted;

(2) Loitering within 1,000 feet of a school or child care facility or within 1,000 feet of the residence of a victim or victims of any sexually violent offenses for which the person was convicted: Provided, That the imposition of this prohibition applies to a defendant convicted after the effective date of this section as amended and reenacted during the regular session of the Legislature, 2015: Provided, however, That as used in this subdivision “loitering” means to enter or remain on property while having no legitimate purpose or, if a legitimate purpose exists, remaining on that property beyond the time necessary to fulfill that purpose: Provided further, That nothing in this subdivision shall be construed to prohibit or limit a person’s presence within 1,000 feet of a location or facility referenced in this subdivision if the person is present for the purposes of supervision, counseling, or other activity in which the person is directed to participate as a condition of supervision or where the person has the express permission of his or her supervising officer to be present;

(3) Establishing a residence or any other living accommodation in a household in which a child under 16 resides if the person has been convicted of a sexually violent offense against a child, unless the person is one of the following:

(i) The child’s parent;

(ii) The child’s grandparent; or

(iii) The child’s stepparent and the person was the stepparent of the child prior to being convicted of a sexually violent offense, the person’s parental rights to any children in the home have not been terminated, the child is not a victim of a sexually violent offense perpetrated by the person, and the court determines that the person is not likely to cause harm to the child or children with whom such person will reside: Provided, That nothing in this subsection shall preclude a court from imposing residency or employment restrictions as a condition of supervised release on defendants other than those subject to the provision of this subsection.

(c) In addition to any other prohibitions, any person found guilty of violating the provisions of §61-8B-3 or § 61-8B-7 of this code is also prohibited from being in a supervisory position, playing a supervisory role, or being responsible for groups of children, including, but not limited to, religious organizations, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, 4H organizations, sporting and scholastic teams, music, sporting, and theatre groups and camps, and summer day camps.

(d) The period of supervised release imposed by the provisions of this section shall begin upon the expiration of any period of probation, the expiration of any sentence of incarceration or the expiration of any period of parole supervision imposed or required of the person so convicted, whichever expires later.

(e) Any person sentenced to a period of supervised release pursuant to the provisions of this section shall be supervised by a multi-judicial circuit probation officer, if available. Until a multi-judicial circuit probation officer is available, the offender shall be supervised by the probation office of the sentencing court or of the circuit in which he or she resides.

(f) A defendant sentenced to a period of supervised release is subject to any or all of the conditions applicable to a person placed upon probation pursuant to the provisions of § 62-12-9 of this code: Provided, That any defendant sentenced to a period of supervised release pursuant to this section shall participate in appropriate offender treatment programs or counseling during the period of supervised release unless the court determines the offender treatment programs or counseling to no longer be appropriate or necessary and makes express findings in support thereof.

(g) The sentencing court may, based upon defendant’s ability to pay, impose a supervision fee to offset the cost of supervision. The fee shall not exceed $50 per month. The fee may be modified periodically based upon the defendant’s ability to pay.

(h) Modification of conditions or revocation. — The court may:

(1) Terminate a term of supervised release and discharge the defendant released at any time after the expiration of two years of supervised release, pursuant to the provisions of the West Virginia Rules of Criminal Procedure relating to the modification of probation, if it is satisfied that such action is warranted by the conduct of the defendant released and the interests of justice;

(2) Extend a period of supervised release if less than the maximum authorized period was previously imposed or modify, reduce, or enlarge the conditions of supervised release, at any time prior to the expiration or termination of the term of supervised release, consistent with the provisions of the West Virginia Rules of Criminal Procedure relating to the modification of probation and the provisions applicable to the initial setting of the terms and conditions of post-release supervision;

(3) Revoke a term of supervised release and require the defendant to serve in prison all or part of the term of supervised release without credit for time previously served on supervised release if the court, pursuant to the West Virginia Rules of Criminal Procedure applicable to revocation of probation, finds by clear and convincing evidence that the defendant violated a condition of supervised release, except that a defendant whose term is revoked under this subdivision may not be required to serve more than the period of supervised release; or

(4) Order the defendant to remain at his or her place of residence during nonworking hours and, if the court directs, to have compliance monitored by telephone or electronic signaling devices, except that an order under this subdivision may be imposed only as an alternative to incarceration.

(i) Written statement of conditions. — The court shall direct that the probation officer provide the defendant with a written statement at the defendant’s sentencing hearing that sets forth all the conditions to which the term of supervised release is subject and that it is sufficiently clear and specific to serve as a guide for the defendant’s conduct and for such supervision as is required.

(j) Supervised release following revocation. — When a term of supervised release is revoked and the defendant is required to serve a term of imprisonment that is less than the maximum term of supervised release authorized under §62-12-26(a) of this code, the court may include a requirement that the defendant be placed on a term of supervised release after imprisonment. The length of the term of supervised release shall not exceed the term of supervised release authorized by this section less any term of imprisonment that was imposed upon revocation of supervised release.

(k) Delayed revocation. — The power of the court to revoke a term of supervised release for violation of a condition of supervised release and to order the defendant to serve a term of imprisonment and, subject to the limitations in §62-12-26(j) of this code, a further term of supervised release extends beyond the expiration of the term of supervised release for any period necessary for the adjudication of matters arising before its expiration if, before its expiration, a warrant or summons has been issued on the basis of an allegation of a violation.