W’burg man gets three-year prison sentence for sex offender registration violation

A Williamsburg man was recently sentenced to three years in prison for failing to comply with the Kentucky sex offender registration and criminal DUI related charges.

On Aug. 2, Thomas M. Cox, 53, of New Zion Road, pleaded guilty in Whitley Circuit Court to one count of failure to comply with sex offender registration, fourth-offense operating a motor vehicle under the influence, and second-offense driving on a DUI suspended license.

Last month, Cox was sentenced to three years in prison on the failure to comply with sex offender registration charge, three years in prison on the fourth-offense DUI charge, and six months in prison on the license suspension charge.

Circuit Judge Dan Ballou followed the plea recommendation and ordered that all of the sentences be served currently, or at the same time, for a total sentence of three years in prison. He also fined Cox $1,000, and suspended his operator’s license for five years, according to court documents.

On Oct. 11, 2020, Cox was arrested by Williamsburg police officers on Rains Street following a vehicle collision. Through investigation, officers learned Cox was under the influence while operating a vehicle with a suspended license and was a non-compliant sex offender. Cox’s criminal record reflected he had been previously convicted of three DUI offenses, according to a Williamsburg Police Department release.

The case was prosecuted by Commonwealth’s Attorney Ronnie Bowling.

The investigation was conducted by Officer Dorman Patrick Jr. with assistance provided by K-9 Sgt. Elijah Hunter and Lt. Brandon White.

“Williamsburg Police Department and prosecutors will continue to aim for appropriate and strong penalties for repeat offenders that involve DUI and sexual related crimes,” the police department wrote in a release.