A Minot man who pleaded guilty to corruption or solicitation of a minor in 2013 in Pierce County now faces numerous charges for allegedly failing to register as a sex offender, disobedience of a judicial order and tampering with witnesses to influence testimony.

Paul John Dobson, 37, Minot, has been charged in four separate cases in North Central District Court with 30 counts of failure to register as a sex offender and tampering with witnesses, all Class C felonies; and 21 Class A misdemeanor counts of disobedience of a judicial order.

According to court documents, Dobson was charged in May 2013 with engaging in sexual activity with a minor aged 17 at the time of the offense. According to court records, Dobson pleaded guilty to one count of corruption or solicitation of minors, a Class C felony, on Nov. 18, 2014.

Dobson was sentenced to three years with the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation with two years and 106 days suspended and was given credit for 259 days already served. Dobson was ordered to complete sex offender treatment after his probation was revoked in June 2016 and was convicted for failing to register as sex offender in Ward County in November 2018, which was closed as a misdemeanor.

Dobson’s current cases stemmed from an anonymous report to Minot Central Dispatch on Dec. 9, 2024, alleging he was staying at the residence of a juvenile younger than 17 he was in a relationship with, according to the affidavit of probable cause. The affidavit noted a prior case file existed involving an investigation of similar reports in August 2024, but the case was inactive.

According to the affidavit, a review found Dobson was registering as homeless, but an investigator observed him at the residence of the juvenile multiple times. The affidavit indicated the officer was unable to determine if he was at the residence for 10 days consecutively but reported Dobson had not registered in compliance with Century Code standards 28 times between October 2024 and May 2025.

North Dakota law requires a sex offender to update a change of residence or use of a vehicle with law enforcement within three days after the change.

On June 23, 2025, a technician with the MPD Records Office provided a written statement to investigators which said, “Paul Dobson has shown continuous signs of deception when registering with the MPD.” According to the affidavit, Dobson registered his address as the residence of the juvenile on June 23. Dobson additionally registered a vehicle he had been driving provided by the juvenile’s parents, having no vehicles registered previously. Based on court documents, Dobson was arrested on June 25, charged with the 30 counts for failing to register, and Judge Todd Cresap ordered him to have no contact with the juvenile or her family under a bail order signed on June 27.

According to the affidavit of probable cause, a review of Dobson’s phone calls from the Ward County Detention Center included seven phone calls to the juvenile from June 27 to July 3. Another phone call highlighted in the affidavit was from Dobson to another individual, coordinating communications with the juvenile

Dobson made an initial appearance July 29 in a fourth case charging him with witness tampering and 13 counts of disobedience of a judicial order. He is scheduled to appear at a preliminary hearing for the registration cases on Aug. 1. Dobson is being held at the Ward County Detention Center.