CLARKSBURG, WV (LOOTPRESS) – A Morgantown man was sentenced to the longest jail time authorized by federal law for failing to update his sex offender registration.
Scott David Bixler, 43, received a 10-year sentence and will be subject to lifetime monitoring after his release, federal authorities revealed.
Bixler, a convicted sex offender, was ordered to register under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA) for the rest of his life, including reporting any overseas travel.
In July 2023, he fled to Mexico just before a state court sentencing for earlier failures to register under West Virginia law.
Bixler and his wife were apprehended in Mexico, where they were discovered in possession of two pellet guns, methamphetamine, a cell phone jammer, and a considerable sum of money.
Investigators also discovered that the pair attempted to purchase a little child, which was foiled by Mexican officials.
“The sentence imposed by the Court ensures that the Defendant will be imprisoned for the maximum time permitted by law,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Randolph J. Bernard.
“I can’t imagine what would have occurred if AUSA Perri, the federal and state law enforcement agencies, and Mexican officials hadn’t been so dedicated. Our community and children are safer as a result of their efforts and the sentence given.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David Perri prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI, US Marshals Service, and West Virginia State Police.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide effort started by the United States Department of Justice in 2006 to address child exploitation and abuse.
