Watertown Police Arrest Sioux Falls Man for Failing to Register New Address; Grand Jury Indicts, Habitual Offender Filing Submitted
- Steve Jurrens
- Jun 5
- 3 min read
Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - A Sioux Falls man with a history of sex‑offender registration violations has been indicted in Codington County after authorities say he traveled to Watertown without notifying law enforcement and was later found with marijuana and drug paraphernalia.
Julio Cesar Gonzalez, 43, was arrested on March 17, 2026, after a Watertown police officer located him at an apartment on 2nd Avenue SW following a GPS alert from his parole agent, according to the probable cause statement filed in the case.
Gonzalez is charged with Failure to Register as a Sex Offender — Written Notice of New Address Required, a Class 6 felony, along with misdemeanor counts of Possession of Marijuana (less than 2 ounces) and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
According to the probable cause report, Parole Agent Brandon Schultz contacted Watertown Police Officer Tayler Maertens on the morning of March 17 after Gonzalez’s GPS ankle monitor began pinging in Watertown — a location he was not authorized to be.
“Brandon stated Julio’s GPS was reading in the area of 1200 2nd Ave SW, Watertown, and he was not supposed to be here,” the officer wrote.
Schultz told police that Gonzalez’s parole officer was working on an arrest warrant and instructed officers to take him into custody.
Officer Maertens located Gonzalez at 1200 2nd Ave SW #23. During the arrest, police found a small bag of marijuana and a glass pipe in his possession.
Failure to Register: Four Days Without Notification
South Dakota law requires registered sex offenders to notify law enforcement within three days of changing their residence.
GPS records provided to police showed Gonzalez’s last location in Sioux Falls at 4:35 p.m. on March 13, with the first Watertown ping at 6:31 p.m. the same day.
“From 3/13/26 to 3/17/26 is longer than the required three days that he is required to notify law enforcement of his new address,” the probable cause statement says.
On March 26, 2026, a Codington County grand jury returned a true bill indicting Gonzalez on:
· Count I: Failure to Register as Sex Offender — Class 6 Felony
· Count II: Possession of Marijuana (Less than 2 ounces) — Class 1 Misdemeanor
The indictment confirms the same allegations outlined in the complaint and probable cause statement.
Habitual Offender Filing: 10 Prior Felony Convictions
Prosecutors also filed a Part II Habitual Offender Information, alleging Gonzalez has ten prior felony convictions, including multiple failures to register and a 2005 sexual assault of a child in Hidalgo County, Texas.
The filing lists repeated violations in Minnehaha and Beadle counties dating back to 2014, including:
· Multiple counts of Failing to Register New Address
· Subsequent Registration Sex Offender violations
· Prohibited Substance in Correctional Facility (Texas, 2012)
· Sexual Assault of Child (Texas, 2005)
The habitual offender enhancement could have elevated the penalty to a Class C felony, punishable by up to life in prison.
A plea agreement filed May 26, 2026, shows Gonzalez agreed to:
· Plead guilty to Count I — Failure to Register as Sex Offender
· Admit to an amended habitual offender filing alleging three or more prior felonies (but not a crime of violence)
In exchange, prosecutors agreed to:
· Dismiss Count II (marijuana possession)
· Dismiss the original habitual offender filing that included the violent felony enhancement
Under the amended enhancement, the charge increases to a Class 4 felony, carrying a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine.
