Cornell Cordon, a 58-year-old resident of New York, pleaded guilty in federal court to failing to update his sex offender registration after traveling across state lines. The plea was entered in Charleston, West Virginia.
Court records show that Cordon was previously convicted of first-degree sexual abuse in Putnam County, West Virginia, on July 15, 2019. While living in West Virginia, he received permission from his probation officer to visit family in Elizabeth, New Jersey between April 14 and April 21, 2025. However, Cordon did not return to West Virginia after the trip and did not register as a sex offender in New Jersey as required by law.
Cordon will be sentenced on April 2, 2026. He faces up to ten years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a possible fine of $250,000.
United States Attorney Moore Capito announced the plea agreement and recognized the United States Marshals Service for its investigative efforts.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage and presided over by United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin.
According to the Department of Justice, SORNA (Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act) is part of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006. It sets minimum standards for sex offender registration nationwide and requires offenders to keep their information current wherever they live or work.
Additional details about this case can be found through PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-142 on the U.S. Attorney’s Office website for the Southern District of West Virginia.
