After being convicted of rape in juvenile court at the age of 16, Matthew Shelton, now 20, was beginning to live his adult life free of crime.

He was renting a place of his own from a family friend until his father “sunk his ship” in April by telling the landlord he is a sex offender, defense attorney Keith Edwards said in court Monday.

Since he was convicted as a minor, Edwards said Shelton was not required to inform his landlord of his status.  

The landlord immediately told Shelton to leave the property, giving him two days to find a new place to live.

Not knowing his rights as a renter, Shelton packed up his belongings and moved in with his adopted father in East Liverpool, Ohio.

When he arrived, Shelton contacted the Columbiana County Sheriff’s Office to notify them of his move. That’s when he was informed he must also tell the Muskingum County Sheriff’s Office, so Shelton left them a message letting them know where he was and how he could be contacted. 

“Then they arrested him and charged him with a first-degree felony,” said Edwards.

It’s a charge that comes with a mandatory minimum sentence of three years in prison with no exceptions. One that both the prosecution and defense recommended to the judge as opposed to the maximum 11 year sentence. 

Still, Edwards took his moment to make public what he believed was a “travesty of justice” on the prosecution’s end.

Edwards explained that legislatures who wrote the statute can’t cover every circumstance for failing to register as a sex offender, so it’s the responsibility of prosecutors to use their discretion when advancing the case.

In Muskingum County, Edwards said prosecutor’s say it is their job to seek justice.

“You didn’t find it in this case,” said Edwards.

According to Edwards, his client gave authorities notice in a timely fashion, but because it wasn’t 20 days prior to moving, Shelton’s next place of residency will be prison.  

“He’s convicted of the same level of offense that he would be if he had raped somebody, committed manslaughter, burglarized someone’s home or robbed somebody with a deadly weapon,” said Edwards.

Defenseless against the law, Edwards said there was nothing he or the judge could do to help Shelton avoid a sentence he felt was unjust.

“This miscarriage of justice is on the Muskingum County Prosecutor’s Office,” said Edwards. “Congratulations on getting this conviction. I hope you sleep well at night.”

Judge Mark Fleegle looked to Shelton and said it was the first time in 20 years he’s been called an innocent participant.

Fleegle said Edwards was right about his inability to lessen the sentence or make it not mandatory.

Shelton was sentenced to three years in prison for failing to register as a sex offender. When he completes his sentence, Shelton will also be ordered to a mandatory five years of post-release control.