A 45-year-old Lawrence man has been charged in federal court with failing to register as a sex offender.

Robert F. Baker faces a sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison and a maximum fine of $250,000 if convicted.

According to an affidavit filed in U.S. District Court, Baker was convicted in South Dakota in 1995 of abusive sexual contact with a child. As part of his sentence, Baker was required to register as a sex offender for life.

The affidavit shows that Baker was arrested in Bangor, Maine, in 2001 and in Denver in 2003 for violating the terms of his release from prison. Both times, Baker was sent back to prison in South Dakota.

Baker registered as a sex offender in the state of Washington in April 2004, but an arrest warrant was issued when he moved to California without reporting it.

Lawrence police discovered Baker was living in Lawrence in February, after he was identified as a suspect in a stabbing in the 1300 block of New Hampshire Street that occurred during the early-morning hours of Feb. 9.

The police investigation showed Baker had been living at a Lawrence address since December 2009.