Assault Suspect Failed To Register As Sex Offender: ACPD

ARLINGTON, VA — A 49-year-old man who failed to register as a sex offender is accused of assault and battery of a law enforcement officer following an incident Tuesday afternoon in Pentagon City, according to police.

Officers responded around 3:10 p.m. to investigate a report of an assault at a business in the 1200 block of Hayes Street. Preliminarily, they determined that a man had entered the business, began to disrupt merchandise and other customers in the store, according to the incident report.

"When an employee confronted the suspect, he made threatening statements, and the employee called the police," the report says. "Responding officers located the suspect at the scene and issued commands to which he was non-compliant and struck an officer. The suspect continued to struggle with the officers until he was subsequently taken into custody."

Police arrested Jamil Clark of an undetermined address and charged him with assault and battery on oaw enforcement, attempted assault and battery, obstruction of justice, disorderly conduct and failure to register as a Tier III sex offender, according to the report. He was then held without bond.

Clark was scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday morning in Arlington General District court and a preliminary hearing was set for 11:30 a.m. on March 26, according to court records.

Failure to register as a Tier III sex offender is a Class 6 felony, which carries a potential sentence of one to five years in prison or up to 12 months in jail and a $2,500 fine, under the Code of Virginia.

Tier III sex offenders are required to verify their registration information with the state police four times a year, under Virginia law. They also must contact the state police within three days whenever they change their residence, employment, vehicle or online identifiers.

The assault on law enforcement charge is a Class 5 felony. If Clark is found guilty on this charge, he faces a possible sentence of one to 10 years in prison, up to 12 months in jail, or a $2,500 fine, under the Virginia Code.