Ruelas

I. FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

In 1994, at age 14, Ruelas admitted committing felony assault with a deadly weapon (§ 245) and misdemeanor annoying or molesting a child (§ 647.6). Three years later, while Ruelas was still a minor, the juvenile court found true allegations that he had committed three felonies: robbery (§ 211), assault with a deadly weapon (§ 245, subd. (a)(1)), and vehicle theft (Veh. Code, § 10851). At that time, the juvenile court committed Ruelas to the California Youth Authority,2 for a maximum term of eight years two months. That term included four months imposed as a result of Ruelas’s prior admission of annoying or molesting a child.3 Upon his release, Ruelas was required to register as a sex offender because of his section 647.6 adjudication. In November 2012, Ruelas filed a petition for writ of mandate arguing that his equal protection guarantees were violated by the requirement that he register as a sex offender. Ruelas timely appealed the trial court’s order denying that petition.

II. DISCUSSION

On appeal, Ruelas mounts two facial challenges to the statutory scheme requiring him to register as a sex offender. We begin by setting forth the…