A Towaoc man was recently sentenced to 20 months in prison for failing to register as a registered sex offender.

Glen Earl Cotonuts, 54, of Towaoc was sentenced Dec. 16 by U.S. District Court Judge Christine M. Arguello to serve 20 months in federal prison for failure to register as a sex offender, according to a press release. Following his prison sentence, Cotonuts also was ordered to spend 5 years on supervised release.

“For the safety of the public, sex offenders are required by law to register with law enforcement,” said U.S. Attorney John Walsh. “When a sex offender changes addresses and fails to register, there are serious consequences – including going to prison.”

A federal jury convicted Cotonuts in October.

Court records reveal that he failed to register as a sex offender from June 2012 to August 2012. Records reveal Cotonuts was living on the Ute Mountain Ute reservation.

“This investigation and its successful outcome is yet another example of the resolve of the U.S. Marshals Service towards bringing unregistered sex-offenders to justice,” said U.S. Marshal John Kammerzell.

The Colorado Bureau of Investigations reports that Cotonuts was previously convicted in both 1993 of aggravated sexual abuse of a child and in 1989 of abusive sexual contact.

tbaker@cortezjournal.com