Jonesboro, AR – Contributed – A Craighead County Circuit Court jury has found a Jonesboro man guilty of failing to register as a sex offender and living too close to a school, resulting in a 22-year prison sentence.
After about 33 minutes of deliberation, the jury returned a guilty verdict Wednesday evening against Armondo Hamilton, 47. The case was presided over by Circuit Judge Chris Thyer, who accepted the jury’s sentencing recommendation.
Hamilton was sentenced to 12 years in prison for failing to register as a sex offender and 10 years for residing too close to a school. The sentences will run consecutively, totaling 22 years in the Arkansas Department of Correction. He will be eligible for parole under state guidelines.
Prosecutors said Hamilton was arrested March 25, 2025, at a residence on Sandbrook Drive in Jonesboro. Authorities determined the home was approximately 1,484 feet from Fox Meadow Elementary School, placing him in violation of state residency restrictions for registered sex offenders.
Hamilton also failed to properly register his address as required by law, according to court records.
Hamilton has a prior conviction in Crittenden County from 1999 involving three counts of sexual abuse.
The state was represented by Managing Deputy Prosecutor Charlene Davidson and Rule XV law student intern Jon White, who is attending the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and is expected to graduate in May.
Davidson said the verdict highlights the importance of compliance with sex offender registration laws.
“These requirements exist to protect communities—especially children—and we will continue to hold offenders accountable when they choose to ignore them,” Davidson said.
Officials also thanked law enforcement officers involved in the investigation, as well as jurors for their service.