Upton County Sex Offender Registry

Upton County is a small, oil-rich county in the Permian Basin region of west Texas with Rankin as its county seat. Sex offender registrations in Upton County are processed by the county sheriff's office and are available to the public through the Texas DPS registry at sor.dps.texas.gov.

Registration in Upton County

Upton County is one of the less populous counties in Texas. The Upton County Sheriff's Office in Rankin handles all sex offender registrations for the county. Because the county lacks major incorporated cities with independent police departments, the sheriff is the registration authority for everyone living in Upton County.

New registrants must appear at the sheriff's office within seven days of moving to Upton County or being released from a TDCJ facility. They provide a current photo, confirm their home address, identify their employer, and list any vehicles they use. The sheriff's office forwards all of this to the Texas DPS for the statewide database.

Searching Upton County Offender Records

The Texas DPS public registry at sor.dps.texas.gov is where you can search for registered sex offenders in Upton County. Enter a Rankin zip code or nearby address and select a search radius. Results show each registrant's current address, photo, offense details, and risk level.

Texas assigns three risk levels to registered sex offenders. Level 1 is low risk. Level 2 is moderate. Level 3 is the highest, and state law requires active community notification when a Level 3 offender establishes a new residence. The Upton County Sheriff's Office handles those notifications locally.

Note: The public registry shows only active registrants. Anyone who has completed their registration period or had it removed by court order does not appear in the results.

Chapter 62 in Upton County

Texas sex offender registration requirements are set out in Chapter 62 of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure. The law applies to all Texas counties including small ones like Upton. Anyone with a qualifying sex offense conviction must register, whether the conviction happened in Texas, another state, or a federal court, as long as they live, work, or go to school in Texas.

In Upton County, the seven-day registration window applies just as it does anywhere else in the state. Registrants must verify annually, with higher-risk individuals verifying every 90 days. Any change in address, job, or vehicle must be reported within seven days. The penalties for non-compliance are the same statewide: state jail felony at minimum, third-degree felony for more serious violations.

Given the oil and gas activity in the Permian Basin, Upton County can see workers come and go frequently. Anyone who establishes a residence in Upton County and is subject to sex offender registration must comply with the seven-day registration rule regardless of how long they plan to stay.

Upton County Court Records

Upton County is served by a multi-county judicial district. The district court that covers this area hears felony cases including sex offense prosecutions. The district clerk maintains records for cases filed in Upton County. For access to specific case records, contact the district clerk's office in Rankin. The county judge handles county court matters and misdemeanor cases.

The Texas DPS Sex Offender Registration Program manages the statewide registry that includes Upton County registrations. All records submitted by the Upton County Sheriff's Office appear in the DPS public database.

Upton County Resources

• Texas DPS Sex Offender Registry - public search for Upton County
• Chapter 62, Texas Code of Criminal Procedure - state registration law
• Texas DPS Registration Program - program overview
• State Bar of Texas - attorney referrals for registration legal questions

Contact a licensed Texas attorney for specific legal questions about sex offender registration in Upton County. The State Bar of Texas can help identify attorneys with relevant experience.