Gary Man Charged with Failing to Register as Sex Offender
A 57-year-old Gary man is facing felony charges after Indiana State Police say a traffic stop revealed he failed to register as a sex or violent offender, despite being legally required to do so for life.
According to court documents, on June 7, 2025, a state trooper conducted a traffic stop on a maroon Honda Accord in Gary after observing multiple traffic violations. The trooper also noted a small child standing unrestrained in the backseat, along with two adult passengers who were not wearing seatbelts. The stop occurred near 8th Avenue and Van Buren Street.
The driver consented to a search, which revealed no weapons or contraband. A records check on passenger Joseph Lamar Sloan revealed he was classified as a violent sexual offender and predator in Illinois. His background included a 2000 conviction in Cook County for predatory criminal sexual assault of an 11-year-old girl. Sloan was sentenced to six years in the Illinois Department of Corrections and is required to register as a sex offender for life.
During the stop, Sloan told police he lived at a residence on West 47th Avenue in Gary. However, BMV records listed a different Gary address issued in 2022. Authorities found that neither address had been properly reported and that Sloan was not listed on the Indiana or Illinois sex offender registries at the time of the stop.
Court records also showed Sloan had prior convictions for failing to comply with registry requirements:
• A 2008 conviction for failing to report annually as a sex offender
• A 2010 conviction for two counts of failing to report employment within five days
Due to the original offense and prior violations, Sloan is subject to lifetime registration requirements under Indiana law.
Charges filed July 24, 2025:
• Failure to Register as a Sex or Violent Offender — Prior Conviction (Level 5 Felony)
• Failure to Register as a Sex or Violent Offender — Prior Unrelated Offense (Level 5 Felony)
Sloan was lodged in the Lake County Jail on July 25, 2025.
