A federal jury in Minneapolis has found Randy Joe Fuller, 54, guilty of failing to register as a sex offender. The conviction was announced by Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson after a trial before District Judge Susan Richard Nelson.
“Sex offender registration laws exist for one reason—to protect our communities and our children from known threats,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. “When offenders ignore these requirements, they undermine a system designed to keep our families safe. Our duty is to protect children from those who prey on them, and we will use every power under federal law to do exactly that.”
Fuller’s obligation to register stems from his 1990 conviction in Fillmore County, Minnesota, for first-degree criminal sexual conduct involving the assault of a child. He served 54 months in prison for that offense.
In 2006, the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act established the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA), which created a national system requiring qualifying sex offenders to provide updated information about their location and employment to authorities at both local and federal levels.
After his release from prison, Fuller was required under SORNA to maintain current registration until 2039. Records show he previously failed to comply with this requirement three times in Minnesota—in 2000, 2010, and 2013—resulting in state convictions each time.
In December 2024, Fuller moved from Iowa back to Houston, Minnesota but did not notify authorities as required by SORNA regulations. In January 2025, police responded to his residence due to a verbal altercation and discovered he had not registered his move with officials.
Following his arrest on federal charges related to failure to register, Fuller was held at Sherburne County jail. During a recorded phone call on June 30, 2025, while discussing the case against him, Fuller stated: “I am guilty of failure to register.”
The investigation involved the United States Marshals Service (USMS), Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA), Houston Police Department in Minnesota, and Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI). Assistant U.S. Attorneys Evan B. Gilead and Matthew D. Evans prosecuted the case.
