Kanawha County Woman Failed to Update Sex Offender Status, Sentenced to Time Served

A Kanawha County woman convicted in a federal child s** trafficking case was sentenced on May 20 after failing to update her s** offender registration with a new workplace, according to federal prosecutors.

Misty Dawn Baisden, 48, of St. Albans, received a sentence of time served for violating the federal S-- Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).

Court records show Baisden failed to notify authorities that she had started working at a business in St. Albans between September 17 and October 30, 2025. Federal law requires registered s-- offenders to keep personal information current, including where they live, work, or attend school.

Baisden remains under supervised release tied to her earlier federal conviction for conspiracy to engage in the s** trafficking of a minor. She was convicted in the Southern District of West Virginia in October 2017.

United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence in Charleston. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan T. Storage prosecuted the case. Federal prosecutors said the U.S. Marshall service investigated the registration violation.

Authorities said Baisden is legally required to register as a s** offender because of her role in the 2017 federal trafficking case.

Under SORNA, offenders must regularly update registration details to ensure law enforcement agencies can track where they live and work. Prosecutors said Baisden violated those rules by failing to report her employment status for more than a month.

The S** Offender Registration and Notification Act is a part of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006. The law established national standards for s** offender registration across the United States.

Federal officials say the system is designed to close gaps between states and improve public safety by making offender information more accurate and easier for authorities to track.

U.S. Attorney Moore Capito announced the sentence and praised the work of investigators involved in the case. Officials said cases involving registration violations remain a priority because the law depends on offenders keeping records up-to-date.

The Justice Department said SORNA was created to strengthen communication between jurisdictions and prevent offenders from avoiding registration requirements by moving or changing jobs without notice.

Although Baisden was sentenced to time served, she will continue to face the conditions tied to her supervised release from the earlier conviction.

Baisden was originally sentenced in 2018 to six years in federal prison for a s** trafficking crime involving a minor. After her release, she must undergo 20 years of supervised release.