Sentencing Law and Policy: Sex offender sentencing

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September 1, 2004

Sex offender sentencing

The law and policy of sex offender sentencing is always interesting and often quite depressing. My FSR co-editor Professor Nora Demleitner has put together a number of Federal Sentencing Reporter issues related to this topic, including this recent FSR issue focused particularly on risk assessment. And as many know, the infamous Feeney Amendment to the PROTECT Act provided for the most dramatic changes to federal sentencing in the arena of sex offenses — even though, as I discuss in Deciphering a Rosetta Stone of Sentencing Reform, 15 Fed. Sent. Rep. 307 (June 2003), the initial impetus for reform seemed to flow from DOJ concerns about undue leniency in white-collar cases.

Two recent cases involving sex offenders have today caught my attention. First, earlier this week, the Supreme Court of California, in People v. Barker, ruled that a sex offender "just forgetting to register" could be convicted as a "willful" violator of the state's sex offender registration requirements. Though the case is principally about the meaning of "willful," I found staggering the fact that Barker, by forgetting to register in a timely manner (he had registered properly before), could have received under the operation of California's three-strikes law a sentence of 25 years to life! Interestingly, the trial judge in Barker's case used his discretion to dismiss "all but one of his 10 prior strike convictions in the interests of justice" so that he could sentence Barker to only 9 years' imprisonment for his failure to register.

Second, as briefly noted last week, a Michigan state judge declared Michigan's state sentencing guidelines unconstitutional after Blakely. I was graciously provided with a copy of the ruling by Judge Timothy Pickard, in which he explains his view that parts of Michigan sentencing law involve mandatory guidelines and that, following the logic of Judge Cassell's opinion in Croxford, no part of the Michigan system should be applied when one part is constitutionally defective. Though I do not know enough about Michigan law to comment on the soundness of this ruling, it is noteworthy that this article suggests that Judge Pickard reached his conclusion in order to be able to sentence a child molester to a much longer prison sentence than the state guidelines provided.

September 1, 2004 at 01:42 PM | Permalink

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Comments

The "staggering" possibility you mention in your post can and does happen in California --- under the Three Strikes Law:
I was the appellate lawyer in People v. Carmony, 33 Cal.4th 367, 92 P.3d 369, 14 Cal.Rptr.3d 880 (2004). The Carmony case is mentioned in footnote 3 of Justice Kennard's dissent in Barker. Under California's Three Strikes Law, the defendant in Carmony received a 25-year-to-life sentence for failing to re-register as a sex offender, after he had registered a month or so earlier. This draconian sentence was imposed by the Shasta County Superior Court --- in the Wild Wild West; such a sentence would not have been imposed had the case been prosecuted in L.A. or S.F. The California Court of Appeal, Third Appellate, reversed, holding that the trial court had abused its discretion by sentencing the defendant under the Three Strikes Law. But, the California Supreme Court reversed the intermediate level appellate court, concluding that there was no abuse of discretion on the part of the trial court.
However, the California Supreme Court remanded the case back down to the Third District Court of Appeal, for that court to consider constitutional sentencing issues -- such as cruel and unusual punishment and double jeopardy. The case also now involves a Blakely issue.

Posted by: Victor Haltom | Sep 1, 2004 5:05:04 PM

A mother of a 19 yr old boy who dated what he thought was a 16 yr old girl, who turned out to be 14. She is free to date other 19 yr old boys, but my son is now looking at 8 years deferred pre adjudication and as I understand another 10 years of registering as a sex offender. Parent of young boys need to know to warn them to get proof of age when they turn 18. My son's life is runt!

Posted by: Cathy Morton | Jan 12, 2005 12:55:05 PM

I don't feel sorry for sex offenders at all. A 19 yr old young man, in my opinion, who has a 16 yr. old steady girlfriend is NOT a sex offender. The guy who registered as sex offender and then charged under the "Three Strikes Law" for NOT registering should be defended vigorously. However, last summer, my four year old daughter was sexually assaulted when a career criminal, high on meth and out on parole, scaled our backyard fence while her father mowed the lawn, snatched her off her trampoline and nearly abducted her. Dad heard her screams, busted through the back fence as the perp tried to make his getaway, chased him down a major hwy and apprehended him with the help of other citizens. My daughter - now five - must testify to what this "sick stranger" did to her. We had to put her in a different Kindergarten after she felt compelled to talk about the assault in story time and other little kids started making fun of her. She struggles with having "accidents" in her pants and suffers from nightmares. She is working with a child therapist and seems to get better - only to regress again...The DA has great DNA, eyewitnesses, the whole deal and we hope the creep will go to prison for the maximum sentence. In order to do this, my little girl must face her attacker AGAIN. Sit through a rape kit with your little son or daughter at the Children's Hospital and then talk about these "poor afflicted sex offenders." This guy will maybe get 8 years and probably get out in three and half. My little girl's world was shattered and her life forever changed. I think ALL convicted sex offenders should be "chemically castrated" and monitored for life after release. If they won't consent - then they should stay in a mental hospital under state care - until they do. I've gotten past the point where I felt the man had to die...Our family had to forgive to a certain extent just to get on with our lives...We start jury selection this week. God help us.

Posted by: Joan | Feb 15, 2005 8:48:18 AM

after reading your post i'm very sorry about the experience your little daughter went through, however i have some questions. if she was "nearly abducted" where did the sexual attack take place? if her dad chased him down and caught him?

in your description you stated the guy is hyped up on drugs and a career criminal...he's not a sex offender......most sex crimes are committed by those who never had before, but usually not being on drugs and fleeing....doesn't sound to me like he was a sex offender on the loose looking for a victim but rather a guy on drugs who didn't know what he was doing.

your statement that all sex offenders should be castrated is stupid, maybe you should have a hystorectomy to remove your dumbass brain......you dumb bitch

Posted by: sex offender | Feb 28, 2005 7:59:54 PM

Hi there,
I have sympathy for your and yours, its terrible to have an attempted kidnapping occurr ANYWHERE.

However, I find that almost minors (18), paying a violent sex offenders price, for having sex with a fellow teenager, ridiculous and offensive. These young men and women are not criminals, and should not be forced to adhere to the same registrations, restrictions and law enforced control as a true predator. Talk about a law causing minor offenders untold pain, because they fall throught he megan's law sweeping cracks! I have read way too many articles on these peoples rights NOT being upheld. Does a person who is a minor traffic offender with a fender bender go to to prison, require counseling, and become restricted from a normal life style with family and friends? No, - but Megan's law does this to people who are not yet true adults, that yes oh my! have sex, which causes one of them to be a victim and another a predator and in a most abusive and public manner.

I find this sad, very frustrating, and really, an inaccurate application of justice and law which was made for VIOLENT and REPEAT offenders. Am I right, or worng in my view? and WHY, has not ANYONE changed this law and its requirements so it does not scar healthy and normal people who made a simple and (prior to the 80s) NOT sexually offensive mistake in there private sex lives?

Posted by: Drifting in confusion | Mar 1, 2005 4:26:01 PM

Hi there,
I have sympathy for your and yours, its terrible to have an attempted kidnapping occurr ANYWHERE.

However, with regard to this string - I find minors (18) paying a violent sex offenders price, for having sex with a fellow teenager, ridiculous and offensive. These young men and women are not criminals, and should not be forced to adhere to the same registrations, restrictions and law enforced control as a true predator. Talk about a law causing minor offenders untold pain, because they fall through the megan's law sweeping cracks! I have read way too many articles on these peoples rights NOT being upheld. Does a person who is a minor traffic offender with a fender bender go to prison, require counseling, and become restricted from a normal life style with family and friends? No, - but Megan's law does this to people who are not yet true adults, that yes oh my! have sex, which causes one of them to be a victim and another a predator and in a most abusive and public manner.

I find this sad, very frustrating, and really, an inaccurate application of justice and law which was made for VIOLENT and REPEAT offenders. Why then, are these minor offenses (which are USUALLY called in by parents of a minor, when one person is pregnant, the relationship ends, etc.) treated the SAME AS VIOLENT OR REPEAT OFFENSES? Am I right, or wrong in my view? and WHY has not ANYONE in a position to do so, changed this law and its requirements so it does not scar healthy and normal people who made a simple and (prior to the 80s) NOT sexually offensive mistake in there private sex lives?

I am NOT an offender myself, I just find this grossly unfair and want some answers as to why the system is so broken, and NOT willing to fix an issue which to me is much larger on a social scale, than many others we are faced with as a society. These rulings for these particular people, cause pain. They cannot see their children alone, or live with them. They cannot 'date' anyone with children. They have a hard time finding good jobs, they are discriminated against as a sexual predator when they are NOT. That's like being sentenced as vehicular manslaughter for a minor traffic violation! Uncalled for, and a crude application of the law is why SO many of us no longer trust the courts, police and application of true justice when we have issues.

Posted by: Drifting in confusion | Mar 1, 2005 4:35:36 PM

I am the wife of a prior sex offender. His crime 25 years ago. The scene a 31 year old alcohol and drug addicted man in a bar (BAR) He has a cute little girl rubbing all over him and before you know it shes in his car crying No.
RAPE takes place. It turns out shes in a bar with a fake ID rubbing all over a stupid drunk guy. Am I saying that what he did was right? NO, both parties were in the wrong. As a women myself, I do believe that a man should be able to take the heat and then stop when I yell no. But lets face it sex think differently. I supose statistically you would find that a lot of people have regretful sex the morning after the Bar. But he got caught and now his name is on the register. He has since this mistake turned his life around, commited to the desire to change an ugly life style. He is now a repectful non drinking/drug man with a wife, 3 daughters and a son.
I myself am a teacher assistant in a public school where I have been told that my husband may not step on the campus. Why because he can never leave his past he is marked for life as so am I for having married him. He spent 5 years in prison, and on probation, he is a upstanding citizen stipped of rights for life and now due to this megans law and ease to find the preditor, you can see his picture and learn everything about him except the story that is behind him. It states no date, nor 25 years of good and moral behavior.
I belive that children need to be protected after all I am mandated by law to report and abuse. I do however wish the way to do this would not desimate the charater of a changed human being.

Posted by: diane | Mar 4, 2005 2:07:24 AM

I'm a sister of a man who is accused of 5 counts of felonies of molesting his step daughter. He is married to a very vendictive woman who would go to any links to get him out of her life. I was trying to find out what he would be looking at as far as sentencing. What really gets me there is no hospital reports and this little girl every time she sees him in court is trying to get to him and yelling she misses him. I would think if the child was harmed the way they are claiming why would she be acting the way she does? I'm very confused about this whole ordeal. I know my brother and he is not capiable of these crimes he's being charged with. And wouldn't this child after going through such an horrific ordeal and would need to be talking to someone?

Posted by: Valerie | Mar 18, 2005 12:10:30 AM

I am a wife of a convicted sex offender. My husband was accused of brushing/touching the breast area with his arm/hand over her clothes and attemted to unbutton a button on her jeans. Who was she our best friends 12 year old daughter (who looked 16)when did it happen? At December 31,1999 at another friends house where people where all over the house all night. When did this girl disclose that this happen not until nine months later when she was called into the school counselors office because 3 other girls had accused her of lying. She told the school counselor. We went through 2 trials the first a hung jury the second he was found guilty. Why because we could not afford a decent attorney!!! Why am I still with my husband because I was there! This girl kept changing her story making it worse and at the end of the second trial (that our private invesitgator wanted to testify to my husbands innocents after interviewing everyone,,, but our attorney said no it was not necessary) they found him guilty and charged him with an F4 Sexual Assault on a child and F5 Attempted Sexual Assault on a child (to charges for the same crime this is on the appeal). He went to jail for 51 days and then put on probation for 10 years to life! His probation officer was straight out of hell and continously threeatned my husband and me. And his treatment provider teated all of his client with rage. They both continual accused us both of allowing my husband to see our kids which he has not in 2 years 4 months... they like to play these power games and totally disreard who they are hurting. They would not let me tell my husband that one of our kids was diagnoised with Tuberous Sclerosis or that I had to have a lump removed from my breast. Only after grievances were filed did they allow him to see me in the hospital when the lump turned into a staph infection. No matter what you say they will never believe you. My husband has an appeal pending and was just revoked for being in denial with a $75,000 bond. His public defender and his appeal attorney both don't hold out much hope and he is looking at 2 to life. He tried to get through sex offender treatment but what you all don't know is that it doesn't matter wheater you raped a 2 year old or brushed a women at a bar the treatment is all the same the group all of these different men together instead of treating the individual. It is why there are so many reoffending. The system is set up to fail. We have lost everything home, life savings, cars, camper,boat. I am still standing by his side because I was there at the party. The things that were not allowed into trial because of the rape shield act and others such laws protect only the one accusing there are no laws protecting the accused and you can guarantee that every jury has at least one quarter who stero type and lumped him together with all the rest. If you can't afford legal help you are screwed. If anyone out there knows of any new laws or laws pending that can help my husband not go to prison for ever for telling the truth please from a mother of 6&8 year old boys I am pleading write to me. I am desperate. My husband is willing to spend his life in prison if the appeal is not overturned because of how impossible it is to get through treatment if you are innocent. Probation and treatment have put my husband and I in a "Time Out" we are not allowed to see or talk to eachother this has been going on since July 2004.

For those of you who have children who have been molested. My heart goes out to you. Please take the time to find out how the offender is being handled you have that right as a victim.

Laws are there to protect everyone but they have sure let my family down.

Thanks for taking the time to read this and please if you know of anything please write.

Thankyou

Posted by: Wendy | Mar 23, 2005 1:15:45 AM

hi i have a brother (19)- No Priors, who is in jail now for attempted rape on my Uncles Wife, who is 8 years older than him. (she is a known meth user and hashit on 4 of the younger guys in the family ages ranging at the time they were hit on 17-21)

suposidly the situation is he went to buy some meth from them it is 3AM (got there by car with 2 other friends, Parks outside the house friends wait in the car while he proceeds inside) and my uncle was not home (minor in the house Intoxicated btw-Friday night)knocks on the door no one asnwer's so he walks inside.(This part of the story i am unsure about---Who he see's inside if a tv is on, radio on
and he walks in the room to tap her and ask her where my uncle is she say's she does not know and get's up (Dressed) and takes her cloths off and tells him to get in bed with her (He Intoxicated and High) says "what did you just say?" and she suposidly ask's him again well he does starts "Going Low on her"

and the Intoxicated minor there drinking opens the door on them, then the woman jumps up and starts yelling at him and says he was trying to rape her...

(Now one of the boys in the car who got beat up aswell for just being in the car, says he kept looking at his watch and my brother was not in the house but about 12 minutes max)

He starts to put his pants on and walk out the door then my uncle comes home at the time he is leaving, she screams at my uncle to beat his ass so he runs and attacks him, (The wifes dad lives 2 houses down hears the comotion and helps my uncle beat him & a 17 yr old boy that was in the car with him) then he manages to get away and decides to come back and "Tell my uncle the Truth" about what happened.

Now i am not near them and i do not know the exact situation and have not seen that side of my family in many years.
but my question is what would the max sentence in California for Attempted rape be?
and what could i possibly do to help him.

Thanks for any and all time spent reading and replying to this post.

Posted by: Episode - Confused | Mar 27, 2005 12:32:53 AM

my friend was convicted in 1998 of haveing sex with a girl who was 15 and he was 18 but acted like he was 15 like most guys do i was there when this took place she had been a girlfriend of his for months and had no clue there was a law against this.now he has to registry for 25 years because of one thing he did when he was 18 i thionk that is very unfaier and unjust to him hes never been in any other trouble with the law dont u think that something needs to be done about this.

Posted by: matt ressler | Apr 1, 2005 8:04:30 PM

I am married to one of those "vile sex offenders". 10 yrs ago, my husband had a breakdown due to lack of sleep and stress and became delusional, and hallucinatory. He ran outside completely naked, rambling on about space ships and the second coming of the Messiah and when I yelled for help from a next door neighbor to call the police, she came outside with the phone, and he ran over to her to grab the phone from her hand ( brushing his naked body on her ) and she later told the police "he was going to try to rape me- I just know it" All the while the neighbors husband AND I were witnessing my husband trying to grab a phone out her hand. Delusional? Doesnt matter. No sexual intent? Doesnt matter. He was naked, and he touched her. Sexual Battery. 5 yrs probation. Register as a sex offender for life. Sorry buddy. I sympathize with the wives of "sex offenders" Not all of them are vile criminals. Meagan Law is folly. Its retroactive. If my husband had known 10 yrs ago that the future would bring internet sites with his name and photo on it, and countless new laws that would be added to those already caught in the web- he would have gone to trial- and probably won.

Posted by: Jane Doe | Apr 11, 2005 10:53:45 PM

I am the sister of a 28 year old male who is now in jail for the molestation of his 9 year old step-daughter. He resides in Florida, which really has the family concerned because of all the recent media coverage involving sexual predators in the state. He has been in jail for three weeks now and has not been formally charged. He admitted to the act, waived his right to have a lawyer present at the time of confession, and is now a sitting duck. There are many holes in the story. We are mostly concerned with the fact that the child only recently received her medical evaluation while he was already in prison. I don't know exactly what he admitted to or what exactly are the charges against him. His court appointed lawyer told him that there was nothing that could be done because of his confession, and I was reading about the special sex offender sentencing alternative and wondering if he could possibly be a candidate because of his first time offender status and recent threats of suicide, in addition to admittance of sexual assault as a minor. I would also like to know if the lawyers estimate of a sentence of 25 years to life is accurate.

Posted by: Natasha | Apr 25, 2005 3:58:31 PM

I am a wife of a sex offender. My husband had just come back from 6 mths of military training and then preparing to leave for Iraq in 6 weeks when he got online and was enticed by officers to start talking about sex and setting up a time to meet. He left and went to meet this person and turned out to be the cops. He is now sentenced to 5 years in prison b/c of this sting operation. He had no priors, had military honors, and EMT and a outstanding person in the community. The entire community rallied around him and wrote letters pleading that he be able to stay and do the work for his community and country however the judge never got to see those letters in my opinon. We have a little boy that is so confused to why Daddy is not here and Mommy cries all the time. We are expecting our second baby in September and it looks like despite everything everyone is trying to do to get him back at home and record cleared that he will not be here for the reminder of the pregnancy and birth. My husband is an addict and knows it..instead of just giving him probation where he could stay and finish his work with the counselor he had gotten used to the judge looked at him and told him 5 years and to go sit down. The sting operations need to stop doing what they are doing..it if fine if the guy starts talking about sex to begin with but not when they start it and keep making remarks to wanting to do something and then grabbing the guy and saying you are a sex offender now.

Posted by: Jenn | May 5, 2005 9:46:44 PM

Hi,I am the mother of two daughters who were victims of sexual assault.Unfortunately, the offender was a family member on my husbands side. My children were 3 and 5 at the time it occured. They spoke up and told us what happened and I pressed charges the next day. The man was charged with two counts of aggravated rape which would have sent him to jail for 30 years. However, his family faught and faught HARD to get him out of such a long sentence. Although I was very pleased with the 30 years, I had to reduce it to 10 years hard labor in order for them to back off. I did it to protect my children so they wouldn't have to testify or go thtough anything else. My girls are finally doing well, but I just got some very disturbing news. The mans family is a very high-profiled family where we live. They recently got a congressman in our state to remove this man from a maximum security prison five hours away from us where he was doing hard labor. They placed him in a minimum security facility where he no longer is doing hard labor. He now plants flowers as part of is outside maintenance duty.He is only 30 minutes away from us now. I feel that this is such an injustice and was wondering if there is anyone out there who could explain how this could happen.

Posted by: Sam | May 14, 2005 3:59:12 PM

Hi I was a business man all my life I am now 60 yrs old owning more than 30 businesses, I was accused of molesting and rapeing 6 girls all in the family, every accusation was about money, the judge threw 3 of them out which left the 3 I was charged with, wile all this was going on my wife at the time was talked into putting a restrainer on me which I understand is common for the state to do, I was unable to talk to my wife for 2 years in the meantime she stopped paying the lawyers, when it came time to go to court, 1 week before my lawyer told me the prosecutor tells him (my lawyer) that the prosecutor has my wife thats going to go on the stand to say whatever she has to say to put me away for the rest of my life, when I said I cant believe my wife would ever do that she knows I am innocent, his answer was with all the businesses and all the money and propertys involved it would be best for her to have you away, the divorce had already started, my lawyer talked me into a plea offered by the prosecutoe of 5 years probation and no jail time, after taking the plea a couple months later I went to court for the divorce and faced my wife for the first time, I asked the question about putting me away for the rest of my life, she completely denied ever saying it, in short my lawyer lied to me beacuse I had no money to give to him now I would like to find a way for an appeal do you think its possible, and dont you think its a little strange to be accoused of 6 girls of rape and molestation and even the judge excepted the plea,--the worst mistake anybody can make as an innocent person is to be talked or tricked into a plea.

Posted by: Jim | May 27, 2005 3:38:29 PM

I am 49 years old. In 1997, I exposed myself to a 16 year old girl from inside my car. I was arrested and I took a plea. I was given 8 years deferred adjudication, and am nearing completion of my sentence. However, the current counselor and probation officer I have hold the most absurd views and expectations. If I admit to having sexual fantasies or thoughts of a 25 year old female I know, then somehow it is deemed wrong. Excuse me! I am a male, and it is NORMAL to think sexually. Of course if I had fantasies to expose, then I would agree.

Once you end up in the quagmire of sexual offender hell, you find that everything is upside down. Media shoves sexual images down the publics throat (no pun intended), yet when men react to such stimili, all hell breaks loose.

I know of one guy in probation who had an affair with a 15 year old girl, yet because he hired a former prosecutor who had friends in court and knew the strings to pull, the offender was allowed to plead to imjury to a child (no sex crime) and didn't have to register as a SO.

Unbelievable.

I wouldn't wish the life I have to deal with on anyone.

Posted by: registered sex offender | May 29, 2005 8:10:44 PM

Twenty years ago my fiancé was accused and convicted of Penal Code section 288(a) “Lewd and Lascivious acts with child under 14”. He served one year in a county work program (he continued to go to his job), went thru the sex offender treatment program and 5 years probation. The child in question was his stepdaughter who was about 4 or 5 at the time and was molested, but not by him. There was also a teenage stepson living in the same residence…..was he the offender, or one of his friends, probably? However, the child, in her visits with Child Protection Service, was somehow convinced it was her stepfather, and thus pointed the finger. Although my fiance was adamant about his innocence, CPS removed the child from the residence and ‘in their infinite wisdom’ informed my fiance that “the child would not be returned to the mother unless he pled guilty”. The only other alternative was a jury trial and since he did not want to put the child thru that kind of emotional stress, CPS got their way and he pled guilty to something he did not do so the child could return home to be with her mother. In other words, if he pled guilty, he could return to the home after serving his time and be in contact with the child; if he pled innocent, the child was removed from the home and put into foster care and he could have no contact with her; now how asinine is that! No wonder the System is so screwed up. So now he is a registered sex offender for the rest of his life (he’s in his mid-60’s now) and my address has just recently been put on the web site as his place of residence. We are in a small town, so of course this will get out and if we end up being the victims of harassment and/or property vandalism, etc., then I feel I will have to sell my home and move out of state away from my family or he’ll have to move out of my home. Other states only put you on their sex offender web site if you are considered a “violent” and/or “high risk” offender. When my fiance lived in the state of Texas, he wasn’t even required to register. So because of the strict laws in California, he and I are now victims. Although he just recently applied for Exclusion from the Sex Offender Tracking Program website, meeting every one of the requirements, we don’t put much hope in that ever happening.

Posted by: A fiance | Jun 5, 2005 7:24:11 PM

I am a concerned grandmother who has two children in my home a convicted sex offender lives three doors down and lives withing 1/4 mile of a elementary school. He has just been charged with a second charge of Sodomy w/Person under 14, Lewe/Lasc Act with a person 14 and 5 counts sex abuse with a child who happens to be his great niece. The family lived across the street from him. The children have been removed from the parents home and placed in foster care. I want to know what can we do, their are many of us here in the neighborhood, as to alerting the community of this person can we post his picture in common areas of the community, can we picket his home what can we do to try and make this animal understand that we do not want him in our neighborhood. My grandaugher will not sleep in her room alone since he has been released on bail

Sincerely,

Sharon Lopez

Posted by: Sharon | Jun 8, 2005 2:09:34 AM

If you think that is bad. when my son was 14 he and a couple of kids plus my daughter were playing druth or dare and the supposed victums brother dared my son do do something to his sister. my son at first said no until the kids threatened him. so he did it. however the girl had pulled down her pants and said ok im ready. Later down the rode the mother of the girl who at the time was a very good friend of mine called the cops he was arrested and after 6 month of being in a detention center the judge decided to give him 2 years and a lifetime of registering. another bad part about it was the judge turned out to be good friends of the supposed vicims family. a little odd dont you think? This story is so big and juicy that if you want to know more or think someone might be able to help. Please email me at [email protected]

Posted by: Mary Confer | Aug 7, 2005 10:01:14 PM

Hello, my son is 17 he is a convicted sex offender.He was babysitting and exposed himself to a 7 year old girl.I know that was horrible.I don't know the law(NY state)I have no money to pay for a lawyer.The public defender said if we take it to trial we stand the chance of losing because the jury will be angry because we would make the little girl stand trial.We took the plea bargain,10yrs probation and registering.I didn't realize that he was pleading guitly to attempted sexual abuse. What stops a person from sexually abuse someone?how is it attempted if they don't do it no one was there to stop him,the little girl didn't.What my son did was horrible.He is not a monster.My son was raped,and sodomized at/or around the age of 6.I wasn't told until a few years later.He is now getting counselling for those things and what's going on now. They will not allow my son to finish school,this is his last year.The probation people has told him he better not go to school and get a job.Probation wants the school to write a letter saying they will give him permission to attend.The schools says probation doesn't have a right. The public defender told me that probaiton didn't have a problem with him staying with me and my daughter.Probation says they want him out.It would have been better to take this to trial, he played ball in school he can no longer play ball anywhere. What is probation?How do they expect people to get better and do better if they keep trying to hold them down.The courts don't realize that everyone should not be put into the same lump.It feels personal like they know the victims.But he never touched her or attempted to touch her.The public defender now says he didn't know that they were going to do this.Then how could he properly advise us.They told me he couldn't stay with me,so I tell them that My only family is out of the state, so then they say well if you go he could be on lifetime probation.What are they doing?

Posted by: A Mother | Oct 19, 2005 12:58:52 AM

I have a friend who's son at 19 started dating a 14 yr. old with all parents concent although my friend did warn her son that she didn't like the girl and didn't approve of relationship. They started having sex and the girl is now pregnant and giving birth in 3 weeks. He is now 21 and she is 16 and have had a relationship for two years with all parties concerned approving.

The girl and the mother are now blackmailing and threatening my friend's son that the girl is under age and having a baby and is demanding for all sorts of things like a $3000.00 crib.

My friend is also afraid that after the baby is born they'll get more blackmail - also that at some point this girl won't want to take care of baby anymore and hand it over to bf and family to raise and down the line just come and take baby.

Does this poor boy, true he made a mistake - have any rights? for now or future?

please let me know - my firend does not speak English and has only been in the US for 7 years.

Posted by: mary | Oct 21, 2005 5:52:53 PM

Boring stuff

Posted by: vimax | Nov 9, 2005 10:21:17 PM

I was a social worker at the time I was arrested for child molestation in Washington State. While at the sw academy we were taught 1 out of 6 boys and 3 out 10 girls are sexual molested by the time they reach adulthood. The info was compiled over ten year period making it longitudinal in nature. That equats to approx. 50 to 60 million people,male female adults who were molested. The figure may be much higher since this was a reported number. Putting a few thousand people on websites is in essence like stopping the dyke with your finger. If people were actually truely worried about the well being of children then stop the problem at the source, the family unit. Let us try putting monies in the mental health industry as opposed to the department of corrections. It's simple math. The volume of reg sex offenders would have to have molested thousands of victims? The people building the websites, the lawyers, the cops, the social workers, the school teachers,college professors, the stay at home Moms and Dads, that's who's doing the molesting. It's everywhere and pretending a website is the anwser and ignoring the constitution is not helping children. It's hurting them. Mental health first with a program to be monitored closely. Then and only then put the individual in prison/civil comittment for a long time. Read my book, The Rise & Fall of Jimmy Wonderboy, by JR Rice. Amazon.com carries it. It's all in there. People,worry about the ones making the loudest noise not the ones trying to restart there lives after they have paid for their crime(sometimes alleged, you know, guilty by implication) thank you for reading my comment. I've seen the valley from both sides. I'm ashamed of touching my teen-age step daughter but enough with the witch hunt. Are we as a socity so un-believably blind? I know, let's have a website for everyone who "may" be a danger to children. We can have drunk driver website, a violent Mom and Dad website, a unAmerican website, you know anyone who thinks the hell with the constitution. How about an Inner-city poor black& white people website who have a drug conviction. These are dangers to children. Get with it people. If everyone who really is or has touched a minor inappropriately went to prison who'll run the country? Fix-it-at-the-source! Destroying families? Is that really the anwser? I can only wonder what our future generations will think. Hey, how about another Manszenar?

Posted by: James Rice | Nov 26, 2005 12:16:11 AM

HI This is my situation, My daughter, my husbands step-daughter had been having sex for sometime, she is 16 y/o and by the law in Massachusettes this is ok with no punishment at hand, they were both willing party's it just repulses me a great deal and I am seeking help, support and am having a very difficult time searching for groups ect.. Any advise welcome. Thank You, LM

Posted by: Lola | Dec 10, 2005 11:44:27 AM

Hi, It is unfortunate that any of us have found ourselves at this site. I am engagerd to a man who was accused 13 year ago of sexual abuse. The nine year old girl whom had accused him was his step- niece on his then wifes side. He took two lie detector tests and passed them and the childs father tried to drop the charges and the Commowealth would not do it, they kept on digging until they talked to his ex-wife of 12 years and asked her if he had messed with any of her children and she stated yes.... 12 years after the fact... so they told him he could get up to 30 years if he took it to court or could plea bargain out with 3 years so with him having a public defender and not knowing the long term consequences of a guilty plea he plea bargained and got 3 years with a 10 year registration period. He doesn't know to this day what the daughter of the ex-wife of 12 years even accused him of. Since his release almost 10 year ago he has been an excellent citizen, he went back to his job of 6 years driving a truck and drove it all these years up until the company leased a Co to take over workmans comp. This new Co learned of his conviction and fired him after 13 year with the trucking Co with almost 10 years to the Co since his conviction. When asked if all the years he had with the Co since his conviction counted for anything they said "NO" And now he is almost 50 and unemployed due to this conviction.
Now I have Social Services breathing down my neck over my 4 year old grandson that I have cutody of. How does the system expect a person to overcome the past to build a future if the ones who are trying to better thier lives get the same treatment as the ones who re-offend. And this is exactly what this Megan Law does. It shows only one face and that is the hidious face of those who truly are molesters and re-offenders. It tells only one story and that is misleading and unfair to those who are trying to leave it behind them and start a new life. We are prime examples of the Megan Law it may very well cost me my grandson. God help us....

Posted by: Connie | Jan 27, 2006 7:24:25 PM

I have heard both sides of this for 10 years now, since I am a wife of a sex offender and a victim of a sex crime. I can see both sides. My opinion is that Megan's Law does not work, the only thing that will keep your kids safe is talking to them, don't wait around for the government to keep your children safe, you do it as a parent. My parents didn't do their job and my own brother molested me for 7 years, and I was never told by my parents to tell them if someone touched me, and it seemed pretty ovious to me, so I thought they knew and just didn't care. My brother molested 30 children in a small town in NY and was never prosecuted for any of them. He was later convicted of 2 counts of child molestation and sentenced to 17 years with no parole in Arizona, he is do to get out this year. The funny thing is this he will have to register for as long as my husband who slept with a 15 year old girl when he was 21, the parents knew about this and when she brought charges against him, she brought charges against 17 other boys/men. He was the only one convicted and he served 3 months and 3 years probation, he also has registered as a sex offender for 10 years, 3 days before he was due to not have to register, NY State passed a law, making him now to have to register for life. That is utterly unjust. That is like sentencing someone to 10 years in prison and 3 days before he gets out saying, no we changed the law and now you have to serve a life sentence. So in the long run, since my brother has really only been convicted once, he will more than likely have to register for 10 years and not as a sexual predator, even though he is. My husband has never been to any school function for his 4 children, by the new law he will never be able to go to any function that his children, or their children, or their children's children are in. Since sex offenders can't go anywhere where children congregate. Where are my children's rights? Don't they have the right to have their father at their high school graduation, sports games? By the way his crime was a misdemeanor. Soon I wonder if they will make a law that says he can't live with his own children?!? He also has to register in 2 states?!? We live in one state but he has to register in a state that we live 800 miles away from? What is that?

Melissa

Posted by: Melissa | Feb 7, 2006 12:48:06 AM

my husband is a sex offender and was accused of having sex with a 14 year old girl that my step daughter was friends with. This girl was at my house every day and never was alone with my husband so i know it didnt happen. When my husband was in prison his probation officer called me nearing the end of his sentence to ask me some questions at that time i asked him would he ba able to live with me and my kids when he came home. I was told that after he attended classes that he could. Now 1 year after his release and after he attended classes the story has change. Now they are saying he cant live with us for the entire time he is on probation which is 4 years now me and my kids have to move away from my husband into a new place or my husband could go back to jail for 5 year for violation. I dont understand why child support forces a man to care and pay for the a child and welfare does as well but your probation officer can take a man away from a child he created and they are supposed to help you recover from a sentencing and become a model citizen how can you do that if you cant take care of your children.
there are three different classifacations of offenders in ohio and they are all treated the same why the hell do they even put them in classifications if they are gonna treat them all like rappiest. now a days you can grab some ones ass playing around and go to jail for 5 years. prisons are full of people who dont need to be there and they put men away for grabbing an ass.
what about men who murder people why dont they have to register wouldnt you want to know if your neighbor killed some one. I would!

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Posted by: viagra | Feb 18, 2006 12:11:37 PM

My fiance is a registered sex offender, he pled no contest based on his Public Defenders advise. He was charged with attempted sexual assult on a child in 1990. His niece brought the allegations on him after she was caught with pot. I have a 7 year old daughter. On Feb. 6th I was contacted by social services stating that there were allegations that my daughter was touched inappropriatly by him. Social Services put a Saftey Plan in place,which was followed, that he was to be supervised at all times with my daughter. They then scheduled an interview for my daughter with a forensic interview. After the interview the informed me that the after school program reported that my finace rubbed my daughters breasts and said "look at those titties" while I was stand next to him. This never happened! They then put another Safety plan into place stating that he was to have no contact with my daughter. We followed that plan and they said that I violated that plan and removed her out of my home. No criminal charges have been brought against my fiance, my daughter states that it never happened and the school officials who reported the issue have change the details from the original report. I hired an attorney, who ripped me off and now social services is finding me in negligence. I feel like this is a witch hunt! He has never touched my daughter inappropriately! In fact, he has been teaching my daughter to tell if someone touches her! What can I do to get my daughter back and for them to leave us alone?

Posted by: Susan | Mar 8, 2006 11:33:17 AM

im so sorry for the mother of the 4 year old who was hurt like that, and i agree with her views on punishing child sexual offenders. anyone who would disagree and refer to her as a "dumb bitch" should also be castrated. imagine your little child having to suffer through such a horrible event as being raped. what would you say to them, how could you ever be happy again or try to move on, knowing that such an innocent child had to go through that. its so unfortunate that such things happen in this world, but if these people arent punished now, have some comfort knowing that there will be punishment in the next life. for anyone who disagrees, you in know way matter to me.

Posted by: sarah | Mar 19, 2006 9:42:53 PM

Posted by: sarah | Mar 19, 2006 9:43:50 PM

Well Hi,
I see alot of you really don't see the big picture here.
Do you really think anyone cares if you did it or not, once the stigma is pinned on you it will never go away, yes you need a lot of money to get your name cleared, you also need to start looking at the issue this registry is just the beginning, we are all going on a registry sooner than later, as a registry member myself I do know what they reality of it all is, We are no longer citizens weather we are innocent or not people don't want to believe the truth, perhaps if you started sueing these pissheads of attorneys that we get stuck with because we are not rich then maybe we will have a chance at a fair and balanced law but until we hold these crooked DA"S and judges accountable power rules infinently, this is the way society wants it until it's society on the line then folks we are all paying the price, it's your chioce of course to just lie down and it's your chioce to stand up again and live, don't hold your head down, look all of them in the eye and smile, because then you let them know that you know the reasons for thier corruption, thier lie I know I sound like a freak, but am I? no I still pay taxes and this entitles me to challenge them won't my fellow Americans help me?

Posted by: ERIC | May 11, 2006 1:55:04 AM

my daughter has a 5 year old ... her & boyfriend (father of her child) split up after 8 years together

my daughter started dating a man who later told her he was a sex offender

my daughter found out she was going to have a baby & the sex offender is the father ( ex says she can't protect the child if he will be coming around to visit his child)

she stopped dating him because of various reasons but her ex boyfriend

had her child taken from her because he lied & said the sex offender was living in her home.

the ex now has temperary custody... everything this man says is a lie but everyone believes him

she has court date a week from today & i don't trust her lawyer... he wants her to let him have the child

her lawyer tells her that she is facing not ever seeing her child again. How can this be? I'm i over reacting to all this? No one believes anything she says & tells her she needs proof yet he has no proof of anything he has said & they believe everything he says.

If you have any advice please email me.... i'm thinking of firing her lawyer & letting my daughter defend herself... we have paid this lawyer a total of $4000.00 & he hasn't done anything but call my daughter a few times trying to get her to sign the papers her ex has prepared & at the end of each call he says well if you want to fight we will fight... well when is he going to get ready to fight? Something isn't right.

Does it sound like a witch hunt to you?

Posted by: brenda | May 19, 2006 11:05:02 PM

I am a mother and I have been with my boyfriend for 3 yrs. He is on parole for Megan's Law when he was 19 he has consensual sex with a minor the aunt got mad because of the affectations she had for him and turned him in than when she decided to drop the charges it was than too late because the state took it over we are about to have a child together but he cant live with me for 10-15 yrs my children adore him. And we dont look at him for his mistakes as a Teenager.. Should I get out or should I keep the fight?

Posted by: Andrea | Jun 15, 2006 10:27:11 AM

I need your help...please sign my petition to stop the state from ruining peoples lives!
Thanks,
Michelle

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/279849511

Posted by: Michelle | Jun 27, 2006 8:16:27 PM

I am the former wife of a convicted sex offender and can attest first hand to what being charged with a related crime can do to one's life. My husband was arrested while we were married and charged with 10 counts of posession of child porn, it is my understanding these were photos found on our computer, deep within our hard drive. They were never date nor time stamped and in no way could the Detective have proven he put them there. He NEVER solicited a child and NEVER touched a child, he was charged with mere posession. Whether by viral trojan, friends using our computer, pop ups, spam or numerous other possibilities. These photos could have been put on our computer numerous ways but his attorney wasn't willing to present this reasonable doubt. I work in the IT field and regularly checked cookies, temp files and even logged my children's IMs and NEVER saw what the Detective found.

Bottom line is with all the publicity, whether or not you are guilty or innocent is not an issue. A jury is going to fry you, at least that's what his attorney said. My point, people are quick to forget that not all sex offenders have done something grossly improper or illegal. I believe the lawmakers need to take a serious look at the charges that result in sex offender and sex predator status. More imporatantly, until that happens, the citizens need to be aware of the differences and educate themselves on their potential neighbor's particular charges. Just like the rest of us, these people need to get on with their lives and with the registration hanging over their heads, they'd almost be better off in prison.

Lastly, it wasn't until I got wrapped up in this that I realized how devastating it can be to the accused offender's family. Their spouse, children, parents, siblings, etc. EVERYONE suffers. My son was denied access to his father for months and cried EVERY night.

A person with this type of mental illness can be treated and rehabilitated to become a law abiding citizen and good neighbor. We'll let a murderer or armed bank robber serve 20 years and walk away but if an 18 YO, sleeps with a consentual 15 year old, he is tagged for the rest of his life!

Don't get me wrong, I think their thoughts are sick. I personally wouldn't want to live next to a sexual PREDATOR but I would certainly evaluate the charges of an OFFENDER before establishing an opinion. These guys need help, true mental help but our society refuses to believe that and thinks they should all be thrown behind bars. Many offenders simply plea because they run out of money to fight the charges and just like my former husband's attorney, they would much rather push the paperwork and take the plea then take a chance in front of a jury that has been fed sensationlized news stories.

I'll never know the truth about him. But I do know he was a loving husband, concerned father, hard working citizen and NEVER placed an inappropriate hand on a child.

Posted by: Tonya S | Jul 26, 2006 11:45:01 PM

I am a former defense attorney.

A friend of one of my friends is in an interesting position. About eight years ago, he had a difference of opinion with the 15 y/o daughter of his live-in companion, whom he had known since her birth. She responded by telling her teacher--and, later, the authorities, that she had performed oral sex on him in exchange for a pack of cigarettes. The laws were more lenient back then, and he concluded that it would be easiest to plead guilty just to get the mess over with. He was deemed unlikely to reoffend and went back home to his partner and her kids, though he had to register as a sex offender.

The alleged victim of the original offense is over 21 years old and has left the home, but the mother still has minor children.

The couple has been cohabiting for over 20 years and consider themselves married under common law.

State law was recently changed and his domestic partner now faces a charge of child endangerment--and being registered as a sex offender herself--because she and her partner of over 20 years are *not married.*

There are *no* concurrent allegations of abuse. Her sole violation is not being married to the registered sex offender.

Thus, we are hosting their children in our home until the couple can line up a judge to marry them--after which they will resume being a household as before.

Two questions:

1) Is there a constitutional dimension to criminalizing unmarried status under these circumstances?

2) Is the marriage subject to annulment because of the coercion involved, i.e., the threat of criminal prosecution and registration as a sex offender?

Posted by: Brian Schwartzschild | Sep 10, 2006 11:53:57 AM

I am the fiance of a sex offender.

I am now pregnant with twin boys and I want to know if sex offenders can have a normal life just like everyone else?

It is so hard on us because we are so young. I want to know if he can live with me and his children? If we can actually get married and where would I learn about his case, being that he has lost all of his paperwork? What do I do? I just need a guide.

And, sex offenders are NOT bad people, they are just good people who have done bad things and made the wrong decision. Some do want to change, some don't. Some where just in the wrong place wrong time. Some were just at that age where they could get into trouble.

I say, don't judge a book by it's cover. There could be a interesting story to tell, if you just listen.

(not saying all sex offenders are good, but their not all bad either!)

Posted by: Kayleigh | Oct 18, 2006 7:50:00 PM

I have a son, who at the age of 20 began dating a girl who we thought was 17, she was 15 we found out 4 months later. The mother of this girl knew of the relationship and even let my son move in to her house for a month while he found his own apt. The girl went to school and bragged about sleeping with him, it got back to the school counselor who called Dept. Of Childrens Services , who in turn called police. My son pled guilty to Aggravated Criminal Sexual Abuse and has to register as a SO for 10 years. He is now 25. The girls mother was threatened, if she did not file charges against my son, DCFS would remove her children ....is this FAIR and JUST? Why wasnt that Mother prosecuted for allowing her 15 yr old daughter to even date anyone over 17 yrs old????? This is in Illinois, so mothers of son's, beware.......ask for a photo ID of these girls!!!

Posted by: Lorretta Wiliams | Oct 27, 2006 12:17:15 AM

Hey,

I just wanted to make a post on all this sex offender stuff that our american nation is crazed with. I don't really think its constitutional for us to make a sex offender registry, if someone is that dangerous they shouldn't be on the street, they should be in jail. Also I think we need to reform our laws to stop prosecuting 19 year olds who have sex with a 15 or 16 year old and labeling them as sex offenders, this is ridiculous and a joke. We need to go after the rapists and sick mother fuckers who tape kids and molest them. I keep reading my local newspaper and seeing 19 and 20 year olds going to jail for "statutory sexual assault" with a 15 16 and 17 year olds, this is dumb in my opinino, this is like a high school relationship.

I'm just a concerned citizen trying to reoform these laws to make them the most effective in protecting my future children and neighborhood kids from the real serious sex offenders.

Posted by: Chris Sides | Oct 29, 2006 4:19:48 PM

HEY,,,

When I was 18 years old I had a sexual relationship with a girl who was 14. I'am now 19 and I havn't seen her for about a year, and now I'm being charged with three felony criminal sex charges and I'm facing up to 15 years of prison and life time sex offender registry,, and in the police report she said I used force during one of the times,, but I didn't at all. I've already been arrested and was released the next day without bail. But after the relationship took place I did a lot of growing up I really started paying a lot of attention to my job, I was blessed with the best girlfriend in the world,(who is 18) and my life just for once really seemed like it was going down the right track, but now this all coming back to haunt me and it just really sucks, because I don't want to be taken away from my girlfriend or my job, I just wish I could do something to make it all better,, but I know I can't so I just have to face It like the man I've become I guess.. but ya i just hope someone who is 18 or 19 who is in a relationship with a younger girl stumbles upon this. Because it's not worth it, and I know being in your late teens is hard because your kinda stuck between being a kid still and being an adult, but please don't make the same mistake I did...Please

Posted by: jeff | Nov 14, 2006 12:31:39 AM

I'm a 21 yr. old single mother of a 2 yr. old. I am currently in a relationship with a 24 yr. old who was accused of "touching" a 5 yr. old. His case went to court over a yr. ago and there was no evidence that he did so the judge dismissed it. Well since the plantiff is related to one of the detectives, they brought it back and he went to court for it 2 weeks ago. He was told if he lost then he could get a min. of 25 yrs even though he did not do it. Well they talked him i to a plea bargain which was 8-10 months in jail. He okayed that even though he knew he was innocent. The DA jumped up while sentencing and said no it is supposed to be a class F not h and they sentenced him to 38 months in prison. Is there anyone who can help us???? He did not do it but has to pull time for it. I love him and have known him all my life and we want to get married after he gets out and have a son, can we do that without problems????

Posted by: Krys | Dec 21, 2006 10:23:34 AM

Does any one know the law in Michigan concerning if a man who has been convicted of a sex crime as a youth if he attend things at his children's school with out getting in trouble?

Posted by: melanie | Dec 21, 2006 11:02:44 AM

"Wives and Mothers of Prisoners of the State (WMPS, Inc) (253-584-9606) The Community Protection Act, RCW 71.09, (Washington State) was passed to protect the community from the sexual attacks of the states most dangerous sex predators. While the law was passed and the sex offenders are in confinement on McNeil Island they still manage to offend. Using front organizations, the sex offenders, the worst of the worst, are reaching out into the homes, parks, schools, and playgrounds of our state every day. The nonprofit organization, Wives and Mothers of Prisoners of the State (WMPS, Inc), is a front for the child molester Richard Roy Scott who is housed on McNeil Island. Richard Scott, the 60 year old rapist, has victims as young as 7 years old and has stated he has had more than 100 child sexual contacts (rapes). His targets have all been underage male children. WMPS is registered with the Secretary of State with an office address listed at: 750 N 143rd Street Seattle, WA 98133. Richard Roy Scott, along with the help of his two rapist partners, Samuel Donaghe and Donald Owens, has created a front organization called, People’s Paralegal Services (PPS), PO Box 3701, Lacy, WA 98509, the aim of PPS is to help child molesters adopt young children from other countries, fund the legal problems of child rapist, and line their own bank accounts. Both the rapists Donaghe and Owens have long histories of raping young girls and boys. Owens wife, a strange case, is now the community contact person for People’s Paralegal Services, sad that she is a dupe in this immoral venture. We ask that the elected officials in Olympia stop the continued rape of our community by offenders who are at the Special Commitment Center on McNeil Island. Tighten RCW 71.09. Tighten their access to the community, limit their reach to our children and loved ones. Act now for our family’s sake, write, call, email Olympia and have this placed on the table for the next legislative session."

Posted by: Ed Weber | Feb 10, 2007 10:49:34 PM

AG’s SVP Unit Prevents Release of Multi-victim Sex Predator

OLYMPIA - Malcolm Ross, Assistant Attorney General with the AG’s Sexually Violent Predator Unit, won his fourth civil commitment case this year, preventing a multi-victim sex predator from returning to society.

Late Monday, July 17, after a little more than an hour of deliberation, a Snohomish County jury ordered the civil commitment of Garth Snively. Snively, 57, was convicted of three sexually violent offenses against children and, prior to treatment, confessed in an interview that he had as many as 100 victims

Snively will be held indefinitely in total confinement at the state’s Special Commitment Center on McNeil Island. He may not be released either until his condition has so changed that he no longer meets the definition of a sexually violent predator, or until the court orders his conditional release to a less restrictive alternative placement.

“Garth Snively is one of the worst kinds of offender, one who befriends his victims, grooms them then betrays their trust,” said Attorney General Rob McKenna. “It’s because of people like Snively that I worked with our sexually violent predator unit to pass tougher laws against sex predators who harm children. These new laws, coupled with the hard work of assistant attorneys general like Malcolm help make Washington a safer place for our children.”

The Attorney General’s Sexually Violent Predator Unit petitioned to have 24 offenders civilly committed in 2005, 25 percent more than in 2004. Of those 24 offenders, the Attorney General’s Office sought to civilly commit in 2005 sexually assaulted a total of 212 victims with an average age of 12.

The offenders were convicted of a total of 85 sex offenses, including 60 "sexually violent" or serious hands-on offenses. Offenders ranged in age from 12 to 63 years old and they came from 11 Washington counties, eight other states and several foreign countries.

In addition, in 2005, the AGO succeeded in civilly committing 19 offenders as sexually violent predators. This is the highest number of offenders the AGO has ever committed in one calendar year.

Based on the unit’s recommendations, McKenna requested and passed a package of sex offender legislation to further protect children and others against sex predators.

Posted by: Ed Weber | Mar 7, 2007 7:12:47 PM

My 17 year son was arrested and bail set at $50,000 . For indecent sexual assault and Battery He was going out with this girl for 6 months .. The mother came over to my house to discuss the two that things were getting serious and that she thought that she was going to get her daughter on the pill because she didnt want her to get pregnant ..... We both agreed that they would be able to still see each other but they would not be able to be left unsupervised.... With in the next two weeks she picked up my son and went to there house ... the mother left the two kids unattended to drive her boyfriend supper in my home town... so instead of driving him home she let him stay.... That was at 700 pm .. I had jess sister who is a friend with my other daughter here and she was talking to Jess on the phone and they made plans for timmy to be picked up and jackie and her friend to be dropped off .... So i picked timmy up and before we got in the house back home jessica was already calling him...... Everything was fine they continued to go out for another month mostly seeing each other in school... She went to school on a monday and broke up with him there was this kid who she now goes out with went up to timmy and said that she is with me know I slept with her at a party on Saturday of course Timmy was upset because he really never had a girlfriend this long .. So he wrote her a letter in school and she blew him off.... So he called her a bitch and slut and she brought if down to the office and he was suspended from school for 5 days ... for sexual Harrassment..... then I recieved a phone for her mother that she was pressing indecent assault and battery on him .... She then went to court and got a restraining order on him he couldnt go anywhere near her or even the school that they both attended to .... so he was already on probation for something and of course that violated and he was sent to a detention center for 45 days..... She was telling everybody in school that he raped her and harrassing Timmys youger sister and bulling her around but nothing was ever done about that .... HE later got his ged . he has a job but he missed out on prom and graduation and he went through alot with small town talk ... Timmy said that he did nothing that she didnt agree on .... She wrote letters to him that I kept with dates on them after the so called incident saying how what a wonderful boyfriend he was and that she never been happy and she doesnt regret anything and she loves him so much and ect.......... this has been going on since Jan6 2006 and weve been to court 14 times and the da didnt show a few times and now he has a trial day on June 7 so well see what happens its just not right how this can turn a kids life unpside down just because she said something happened and my lawyer said that the mother si the onw who is pushing it I guess we'll find out the truth when they put jessica on the stand answering questions from my lawyer.....

Posted by: Laura | Apr 5, 2007 2:09:24 PM

There is no justice once you are accused of sexual offences! My 18 year old daughter has just accused my finace of sexual attacks that she claims happened a year and a half ago. His life is ruined. His picture and story have been all over the local newspapers and television. It seems he has been found guilty before any hearings have taken place and it is our job to prove him innocent. What ever happened to innocent before proven guilty? Him and my daughter were friends before she introduced us. After things got serious between the two of us, she got very jealous. She would beg him to spend time with her the way it was before me. After we got engaged she really turned on us. She wouldn't help out around the house and was very sarcastic and loud mouthed. I blaimed it on the age but now think it was her jealousy. My ex-husband is having a field day with this. He is now trying to get custody of my 10 year old daughter, holding back my alimony, and child support just as long as the law allows. I can't pay my utilitiy bills and have to sell the house I worked two years to get from the divorce. Luckily with the proceeds from the sale of the house we are able to afford the best attoney in the area but it is a shame the money has to be spent on such an expense. This man is a great guy who helped all of us through a nasty divorce and looked at my own daughter as his own. There is no way he could possibly do the things she is claiming. He has a severe erectile dysfuntion. We have never had actual intercourse. Children and Youth caseworkers can't believe that I, a 40 year old female, would be happy in a relationship like this. I told them many times, there is more to a relationship than just sex. He is good to me. He takes care of me. Sometimes that is enough. Children and Youth came into my home and made him leave. He is now living in a motel, has no income because he got fired after his employer read the newspaper article, I am working my butt off to help him as well as take care of my 10 year old. My 18 year old moved in with my parents and my whole family has turned against me. Where is the justice?

Posted by: Cindy | May 12, 2007 8:15:22 AM

Posted by: Laura | Apr 5, 2007 2:09:24 PM

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Posted by: Laura | May 28, 2007 9:28:11 PM

Hi my name is michael and im a first time sex offender with no prior crimal history. i had a situation where i was dating this girl and i lived with her and her dad.She Was 15 and im 26.This girl was going ro clubs with me and was told she looks 23 to 24 years old. I know im not trying to cover my fault but girls these days have matured and grown so much.I have to register now and i was going to college for forensic science and now my life is a wreck. Her whole family turned their back on me. I served 3 days in jail and was put on 6 months intense probation and 1 year 4 months regular probation. The courts had papers to show where i lived there,even the dad told the detective i lived their but did nothing to the parents. It's not fair for me to go through this and the parents not get into any trouble.

Posted by: michael | Jul 18, 2007 12:57:20 AM

My partner is an artist and for the past 30 plus years his work has focussed on controversial subjects, i.e. war, televangelism, racism, psychological abuse and recently, incest, and it's aftermath.He downloaded the contents of a website of hardcore pornography in order to use the incest images in his then current work. In his work, he alters offensive images until they are unrecognizable, and sometimes turns the digital visual files into sound as well. His purpose over the years has been to find the negative in our world, and to render it useless, and inert. He was charged with illegal downloads and storage of illegal images, and although he is not a predator, pedophile, pornographer or disseminator of the images, he was offered the legal limit in sentencing, if he did not choose to go to trial. We went to trial, and he was convicted of both counts, and sentenced to 8 years in federal prison and 5 years after that of supervised release. He is in his early 50's, we have known each other for 24 years, and this is devatating for us. He will be a registered SO for the rest of his life, so he will not be allowed to return to the university world where he has been involved for the past dozen or so years, and, most unfortunately, I have an incurable cancer, and we most likely will not be together when he is released. He is a good man, he is highly moral and not in any way a negative influence on others. And yet, here we are. The legal system is a reflection of our worst fears. We can not have a dialogue about this subject without being accused of being horrible people ourselves. I believe that dangerous people should be removed from society, but, in my opinion, in cases like this one, the sentence guidelines are inappropriate. And the aftermath of being a registered SO for life, is reprehensible.

Posted by: R | Aug 8, 2007 2:31:11 PM

I am in this confusing situation. My fiance and I got engaged 6 months ago, and unfortunately, got convicted of a sex crime. I will just say he was at the wrong place at the wrong time. My problem begins with the fact I have three young children and none of them are his. He has been told that we can get married while he's in prison but I really want to make sure we can without worrying about the state coming and knocking on my door. Sure the internet has plenty about negative searches, the searches that has every parent worrying. But they don't have much for positive good old education about marriage laws for sex offenders, nothing very helpful. Does anyone know a fact site???

Posted by: cml | Oct 5, 2007 9:33:10 PM

Posted by: cml | Oct 5, 2007 9:36:51 PM

Hello. I am new to this here. I have been reading everyone's comments and thought I would share my story. Well I am engaged to a "sex offender" with whom I have a child with.In 1996 he was accused of aggrivated sexual assault of a female who said she was 17 at the time but however was only 16. He was 19 at the time. He chose to take the plea bargain given to him by the "public defender" because he knew he couldn't afford to have an experienced attorney present to help him fight the accusation and prove his innocense. In addition to the fact that he is a minority in society he now has to register for the rest of his life. He, as I have read in a few of the comments, is now not able to live with us, he has trouble finding a job, is frowned upon by society in general. He was actually accused of the offense before the Meagans Law was passed but being that his conviction occured after the law was passed he was given all these limitations/restrictions on his life. He was a changed man when he came out of jail. Now before we got together I had known him for about 8 yrs prior. It was 6yrs later that the police came knockn on his door telling him that he had to register as a sex offender. why 6yrs later??? What is wrong with todays system??? This has led him to be in a state of depression. Who wouldn't be upset or depressed if after you have been living this normal life as a changed man with a family about to further his life and get married then to have it all taken away in the blink of an eye. He is considered a "low risk" sex offender. i am looking for answers anywhere. Please if someone out there can help me??? What is there to do?? How do i go about doing so?? Who can i talk to proffesionaly that would be of help???

Posted by: | Oct 27, 2007 12:34:31 AM

Women bitches deserve to be raped. Its good for them!

Posted by: Chester Molester | Nov 16, 2007 8:01:55 PM

My son molessted my younger son over 8 years ago. The older son, was 13.5 years old, the younger sone waas only 7 years old.

Now the older son is being charged, annd looks like he will be sentenced as if he wass today's age 22 years old, when the crime occurred for the last time over 5 years ago, he was 14 at the oldest time -- it was a repeated behavior. It stopped when the younger son got his OWN video game system. That was the ploy held over the little one's head, play sex games, then you can play video games.

why should he get charged and punished as an adult. In WA state I think this would have been taken off his record if it came to light before the older onne turned 17 or 18.

Now he is looking at jail time, treatment programs, registering for 25 years as an offendor, it has been HELL. Can anyone relate??

Advice?

Posted by: | Dec 17, 2007 1:58:15 AM

I am the fiancee of a sex offender. my fiance was arrested 4 days ago with a felony warrant for violating his probation. he was inititaly charged with 2 felony counts of child pornography. i knew shortly after i met him and made my peace with it.

my father just came over with his full court papers, and his plea... including all the details of his crime. my father just told me to take my daughter and run. he told me that my fiance' probably touched our 10 month old and we should get her checked. she was just checked because she had an infection.. and was cleared of any abuse.

so right now i am torn between my fiance', and how ever much time he does for the violation, and my family. any advice?

Posted by: Robyn | Mar 26, 2008 1:16:36 AM

Hi,

My husband is a convicted sex offender since last Thursday. I have read your stories. I am sacred; I am scared of the road ahead. I don't know if I will stay or if I will leave. To be honest the choice comes down to my fear of facing the road that sex offenders have to lead everyday. You have to be so strong to keep living and for those living with the conviction that do not re offended I commend you. My husbands life was ruined by the touching of a minors breast for a "few seconds". I still do not understand how a few seconds should define a person. I will tell you my story and I pray you will listen; I am here to help you all. I left my husband and two kids to take a friend to the airport. I was gone four hours and in the last thirty minutes my husband gave a 13 year old girl a back massage and touched her breast for a few seconds. A few seconds was all it took for a honorable military member to ruin his life and that of his families. We all know that the label of "sex offender" ruins ones life. They will serve their time in jail and it will not end there. My husband had a good lawyer. Despite the fact of good representation both my husband and the lawyer thought the root of guilty was the easiest to get reduced sentencing. At this time my husband is in jail for 100 days and got a dishonorable discharge from the military. I am here to say one thing. I want to tell your story and change things for you. If you are a sex offender or the spouse of a "sex offender" or even a mother, father, girlfriend, exc. I want to hear your story. I looked I see no other representation for you. I see no one to speak your side, to tell your story. I ask one thing; tell me no lies that will ruin the credibility of others. It is a crime against our countries morals to carry on a sentence for someone’s whole life. Tell me your story I will let it be known. I will give you a chance. My e-mail is [email protected]. If you e-mail me and have something to share I will give you my phone number. I really want the world and the people here in the US to know what is happening to you and that the mistake you made does not define who you are as a person, as a human being.

Posted by: Britt | Apr 24, 2008 1:56:03 AM

I am a wife of a sex offender. My husband commited a crime yes, the crime of a stupid teen in 1985 when he was 16yrs old he broke in to his stepfaters home to retrive his things and his sisters were home in attemp to flea he brushed up against the youngest 10 (who had striped when he walked in) 3 months later the police arrested him and he was conviced of attempted 1st rape, sent. to life in prision. he was released in 2002 on good time but now has to serve 16ys on probation. I am contently told what I can and can not do who I can talk to even what I can wear by his probation officer and I have never commited a crime and my poor husband is being threated weekly with violation and has to attend groups with sick, perved offenders every week. Sometime he get home and crys for the children the other (true) sex offenders harmed.

Someone needs to put a stop to all of this so the non-violent offender can have a health and normal life.

Posted by: stacy | Jun 25, 2008 10:45:12 PM

Hi I am the fiance of a registered sex offender. My fiance was married to a woman that had 2 daughters and one night one daughter came home from visiting her biological father and said her private part was hurting. His ex-wife asked why and the little girl stated Daddy peed on me.She showed her mom her blue and purple bottom. She was taken to the hospital and examined and the dr said she seemed to be molested, well the police was not called they were told to take her to the Gwinnett County PD and the detectives had her crying and just didn't seem to want to do the interview and she finally said nothing happened! Well 3 years later my fiance' is arrested. During court, the Judge had his wife and some friends of theirs from AA at the spur of monent are on his jury which I feel was unfair. The lawyer, which was hired told my fiance's father told him that the jury trial would start after lunch and to sign a form stating he understood what he was saying, well he ended up signing a guilty plea accoring to the judge. The Judge stated to my fiance's father, I never got you, but I got something just as good if not better. He has completed classes and has had a steady job for 5 1/2 years. If any lawyers read this please help. He has passed polygraph tests stating his innocence as well as the required ones, but they can't be used in court. Thanks for reading.

Posted by: tee | Jun 26, 2008 11:40:26 PM

The constitution of the United States is rapidly eroding. I am convinced that the attack and banishment of sex offenders is merely a testing ground solely for the purpose of somewhere in the near future enacting an invasion of priviledges and privacies of the average american citizen. The empowerment of recent acts concerning Homeland security, digital tv's,and the placement of cameras etc are all indicators of invasion of rights and privacy. Democracy is being threaten. States are violating basic rights and are inflicting cruel rules of law with difficulty of correction. As stated, if allowed to continue willtricke down to the general populace. The witch trials of the yesteryear is a perfect example of a government gone mad. The correct approach to the sex offender's registery or mess is to 1. separate violent offenders, child predators from minor infractions. Sex offenders who have not infract the law within a certain time frame -remove from list. According to statistics, there are 550,000 sex offenders in the United States. Only a small fraction of this number is considered violent or predatory. Multiply 550,000 by family members and friends and you have a voice of over a million people who can petition the courts. Nothing will be done unless this happens. You would think that the American society of defense lawyers would be the leaders in this -But so far very few. Media hype for political means, monetary means,social means have overcome fairness and common sense. To all who reads-rapidly coming, you are next!

Posted by: cindy greer | Jul 22, 2008 11:09:51 AM

I am a former foster parent. My rights have been termintated. My husband crossed the line with our 18 yrs old foster daughter, both was consensual. We are in marriage counseling, and we are trying to work through this. No one can tell me if CPS can bring charges against us in the state of wv. We were newbies and doing respite care on weekends. All was well until our foster daughter was all over my husband and the agency ignored my concerns until it was too late. No one told us that she had been removed from previous foster homes for the the reasons! Can anyone help on if there is a chance to get our fostering rights back?
Heartbroken

Posted by: ann haynes | Aug 21, 2008 9:22:56 AM

ibm thinkpad r32 battery

Posted by: laptop battery | Oct 14, 2008 5:37:19 AM

My husband was convicted of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, he was 19 almost 20 and the girl had told him she 18 which come to find out she was only 13. now my husband has maxed out his time and his p.o told him he could marry me,well as of late his p.o told him he couldnt live with me cause i have children. Is there anything i can do about the fact that we are married so he can live with me and my kids who love him dearly. I know for a fact he's not the type of person who messes with little kids all his life he has never been in trouble and now in an instance he is paying for the rest of his life for a girl who lied and gave a false age is there any answer for me and my as of recent husband to ever live together. i am so frustrated with the way the parole officer is moreless keeping my husband from me for atleast 5 years.

Posted by: lisa | Oct 30, 2008 11:40:41 AM

Hello. My fiancé has been labeled as a "sexual predator." However, he is no danger to anyone in society. Unfortunately, my fiancé was wrongly convicted of "raping" a 15 year old girl that he worked with when he was 20. The truth was that he was very immature and lonely. This girl was flirting with him all the time and eventually then went out on a date and ended up having sex. CONSENSUAL SEX. Of course, the girls father found out (he was a cop) so my fiancé got the works. It was so sad and put his entire family through hell. He served 7 years in prison. He didn't have any probation because he had a good lawyer and the prosecutors knew that he was really innocent. It was actually documented that the girl who claimed she way "raped" asked the prosecutors during the interview if she could get pregnant from giving a "blow-job." When the prosecutors questioned why she would give oral sex to someone who "raped" her, she stated, "I fell on him." HA! Meanwhile, my fiancé spends 7 years in prison while this stupid, lying little bitch goes on to live a happy life! Anyway, all this happened long before I met my fiancé. He was so honest with me. He actually showed me his inmate ID tag before we even went out on our first date. Well, here we are several years later, very in love, living as well as we can and it breaks my heart when I see his picture on the f*cking registration page with the bright red text that says, "SEXUAL PREDATOR." He is such a wonderful person. I wish there was something I could do to free him of that burden. I admit that sometimes I actually get mad at him for happening been so dumb to sleep with someone when he didn't know her age. But he was 20! Guys and girls mature so differently! I've heard stories of people who were married and living together when the guy was in his 20's and the girl 15 or 16 just 30 years ago! So why is it a crime today?! It makes NO SENSE AT ALL! I just wanted to vent I suppose. For those of you who have actually suffer from a "real" sex crime. I am so very, very sorry for you. There is nothing that can undo going through a horror like that. But you must understand that there are those of us who are suffering because of a runaway system that one day will probably have all of us labeled as "OFFENDERS" and "PREDATORS." If anyone has some advice on how to cope, or proof that we can still live a happy, full life together even with that label, please send me some advice. Thank you for your time reading my story. Love to all.

-Heart Broken

Posted by: Heart Broken | Jun 13, 2009 3:32:39 AM

I am a convicted sex offender and ain't married to no one. the only reason I got convicted is because i was 20 and had sex with a 14 year old boy. it was at the state fair and we each were showing animals. I never thought I would get cought because he acted older and i did not think any one would care. I had to do time in county jail, and probation for 5 years, and register as a sex offender. nothing even happened to the boy, who is still living in the same area as my parents where I am living. I always felt wrongly convicted because it was a mutual decision to have sex. And we had liked each other before we had sex.

I do not think what happened between us should made me register as a sex offender. I only wish that none of this would have ever happened, and I never had sex with him. It is very hard on me because every one in our town knows what happened and that is all people think of me. I do not like being known as "a sex offender". I think that if every one knew the whole story, I would not be judged. It would be hard for me to move away because I don't know that many people.

I am glad to know there are others who are persecuted for their past mistakes like me. I am trying to move on with my life and get past this, I just wish others could to.

Posted by: Lisa | Sep 2, 2009 6:57:47 PM

im a cilvillian who looking for answers my fiance and me want to raise our son together in one home he is on megens law how and who do we need to talk to about it

Posted by: mickey | Jan 2, 2010 10:54:11 PM

Hi, I loathe child predators. But my 17 year old son has a 14 year old girlfriend. My son's girlfriends parents approve of the relationship. My son is a junior in high school and she is only his second girlfriend that he evr had. My son's girlfriends mom would let my son stay there on weekends. My son came to me right before Christmas and told me they thought she was pregnant. I was very upset of course. His girlfriend told her sister and her mom. The sister called child protective services. An investigator talked to her and she told him she willingly had sex with my son. Her mom feels her daughter is mature enough to make her own decisions on this. My son was arrested and charged with sexual misconduct and endangering the welfare of a child. The girlfriends parents told the investigator they were not going to press any charges against my son so the county or state did. I let my son talk to her on the phone, and will only let them see each other in a public place like the mall. My son is so scared about this and so very afraid he will not be able to have any kind of contact with her whatsoever. My son has never been in trouble for anything. He does his best in school, doesn't do drugs, drink, or even smoke cigarettes. He had a career path lined up but is afraid this will mess him up for everything!! The kicker is the sister who called cps had her baby taken away for abuse about 10 months ago. My son is not a sexual predator or a pedophile, he is a child himself damn it!!! What the hell? Need to pick on the grown ups who target young children, not teens!!!

Posted by: Micha | Feb 14, 2010 3:47:57 AM

I think everyone should let God do the judging!!!I believe that sex offenders that go 5-10 yrs without a sex offense should be relieved of registering i believe that megans law shouldnt get tougher on those who are not commiting sexual crimes but were convicted in the past!I have a wife and two kids a son and a daughter!I was convicted of a sex offense when i was 16 now i am going on 28 and i really want my life back i did my time and i havent commited a crime in over 11yrs i want too live free with my family thank you for letting me share!!!

Posted by: John | Aug 2, 2010 11:18:11 AM

I am writing this messae regarding the laws of sex offenders forgetting to registry. I a dating a sex offender who is the nicest man in the world. His nickname is Gentleman George. About 33 years ago, he was about 19 and his uncle's gilfriend daughter claimed she was 18. They like each oher and when the uncle and hisi girlfriend would go out they would go up on the rooftop. One day they went up on the rooftop and got locked up there. They had consensual sex. By the time they got off the roof, the mother of the girl informed him that her daughter was only 16 and she had him arrested. The mother left them there. He went to court and back then,, there was no registry. Recently they picked him up on Sept 2nd and took him to jail saying he had a warrant. The first court they took him from where he lives at in Fall River and then in turn they are going to take him to Boston to be prosecuted. It is suppossively because he did not register. When he did, he thought all he had to do was to register for the state not from town to town. Lord know what is going to happen now. He does not bother anyone and has not bothered anyone. Now I do not know what he is facing but whatever it is I hope they don't keep him there. He has level 2 Diabetes and takes a lot of medicine. Any body can make that mistake. He has also been in in out of of the hospital for diabetetic seizure which could affect his memory. What is the time he is looking into when it was just a mistunderstanding? I went onto the national alert registry for massachusetts and he was never on it. IF he registerd before, wouldn't that have been double jeopardy? Also he has been to court with me on several occassions and they never arrested him. By the way, I am in the process of becoming an equal opportunity law student. What time is he facing for this stupid mistake?` He has not been in trouble since. He just recently been diagnosed with level II Diabetes and takes a lot of medicines. That newlaw is ruining a lot of people lives. How can you go back and decide to put someone on a registry?

Posted by: adrienne joyner | Sep 29, 2010 6:43:24 PM

how about this, a man who is on the sex offender registry list for child porn? the story is that he took a computer to a guys house to have it worked on. after the guy had the computer for around 3 months, it finaly comes back with him saying it has child porn on it and he called the cops, that guy is a known druggie, he did cocaine and pot almost every day, and was in and out of jail his whole life, a career criminal. the guy who took the computer there, had no idea about any of that. but now the guy who simply wanted his computer fixed, is now in trouble for having child porn on it. everyone believes that druggie put that on the computer for a set up, the cops never even looked into that guy, it was simply there is child porn on this computer, he is the one who is guilty. now on probation for 4 years and on the sex offender registry for 25 years. i see no justice in that. this country needs to find a way to get the real criminal. it is simply wrong to not even do any kind of detective work and look at the benefit of the doubt.

Posted by: J S | Mar 23, 2011 3:36:04 PM

I'm not sure if anyone will read this but I need some advice. Last year I married a sex offender who served his 10yrs sentence, he is not on parole or probation. He told me that was innocent but was cohersed into signing a confession. He said he passed a lie dector test but it wasn't allowed in court.I am a mother of 5 girls which 4 are in the house. My ex husband found out about my husband's conviction and filed to have my kids taken away. I divorced my husband this month and have moved to another town but the kid's dad won't stop saying that since I married a sex offender that I'm not making the correct choices for my children. I have been snubbed and told that basically I should give my kids up by the court order mediator and the guardian of litemen that the court has ordered for me to have on my kids. I NEED HELP!! I still love my husband and believe that with out this added stress we probably could of worked our marriage out and now I'm more then likely going to loose my kids over this. I don't know who to turn to or who can even help me....signed desperate...my email is [email protected] if anyone has any suggestions. I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to find this page again. I googled it trying to find some sites that might offer some help. Thank you.

Posted by: Theresa Z | Sep 27, 2011 8:40:34 PM

I too have also been the unfortunate victim of this vicious legal system, that many would call fair and just. I was only 18 at the time of my altercation with my neice who was they say under 13yrs of ago at the time. I believe she was actually over 13. I did intensionally touch her inappropriately on the upper genitalia by reaching out and pinching her while she had her shirt off. Couple months later my parents received a phone call from DHS department human services asking if I would be willing to come in and be asked questions regarding this alleged incident. They were made aware of this by my cousin why was also at our house on the day this occured. He was seeing a counselor or having problems himself for lying in school and for some reason decided to discolse this to his counselor. So I went and without knowing being told my rights answered the questions and explained what had happened. Few months later DA's office came back with an indictment for a charge of Aggravated sexual battery on me We hired an attorney and he ended up advising me that it would be best to take a plea agreemnet with the DA's office for a lesser charge and reduced sentencing. Of attempt to commit aggravated sexual battery. Now after completion of 6 yrs probation and 10yrs on the state registry, which I was told then would be what I'd be required to serve, I find myself ineligable to come off of my states sex offenders registry, because it being an aggravated offense, because she was under 13 yrs of age. I wasn't made aware of any of this at that time and my lawyer didn't bring to light any of my other possibilities as it was a first time felony. Not only that but I was also under heavy medication at the time of this incident for severe depression and I am also considered legally blind from birth. Cruel and unusual punishment for this crime if ya ask me. And many i've spoken with over the years both family and friends

Posted by: Ray Skiles | Nov 16, 2011 7:57:04 PM

let's set the story.... it was the year 1993 he was 19yrs old.He was working for the carnavil. Some of the guy's after work decide to get an entertainer an the entertainer comes to the hotel they are in and brings an another entertainer.They do there thing....the entertainers leave the guys go back to work.Many weeks later he get's haled into the police station an informed he is being acused of raping a girl who is 48 months younger then him.He tell's his lawyer he remembers having inertcorse with a woman in a hotel she was an entertainer. His inform at court that if he dosn't plead guilty he'll spent 20yrs to life in jail for said crime. But if he pleads guilty he'll get yr an a day. Be on regastartion tell 2016, an do some probation....2010-2011.. comes his done his time... probation is over. He falls in love with a wounderfull woman but is infomed that he can be with her do to his chosse back in 1993..What is someone to do??????

Posted by: Bob | Jan 3, 2012 4:34:01 PM

my fiance pleaded guilty since his lawyer told him he wouldn't see any jail time. He wanted it over so he pleaded guilty even though he was innocent. He didn't want his wife at the time
to keep getting harrassed. Now his boys are getting harrassed and his life is ruined. He filed for ineffective assistance of council but nobody believes he is innocent. It was his 14 year old stepdaughter that was mad at him at the time and made up the story. How can something be done. thanks. Any advice would be great. I am desperate. He was told ten years on the internet that turned into life. What can be done if anything.

Posted by: Sue | Mar 26, 2012 4:43:33 PM

i am an-ex sex offender.I never hurt anyone,never did anything to any children..just did alot of the prince henry- randy travis got drunk,and stupi and naked. however,this took some years to get out of my system..but after 15 years/almost 20yrs,misdemeanors should go off a persons record..even god says he will forgive murderers,but not a streaker!i recently wanted to go back to college after a lay-off,but pell grants are available to murderers,just not streakers,or flashers,or kids who dated slightly younger kids..men who were victimized by women who's attorneys got them to make accusations of child abuse for child custody cases,etc.i agree that rapists,serious child molesters/abductors(felons)should be guarded closely..but this triple jeopardy system of sex offender registry for misdemeanors is a barbaric tragedy..it is legalized bullying..it is discrimination!and mostly,it just isnt fair,or american!

Posted by: david c. | Sep 26, 2012 10:52:45 AM

maybe all the offences called sex-offences shouldn't be...rape,(rape should be re-defined back to its original intended defination,but not not this your wife said she had a headache-you are 18,and now your consentual girlfriend is 16 1/2 crap)...for violent or severe molestation,child molesters,those forcing the sex slavery of other human beings..basically anyone causing any physical harm to anybody for sexual gratification.non-consentual(date rape drugs-minors)etc...this is what people assume when someone says sex-offender...so maybe a real/clear/actual non fear based term for the non violent misdemeanors is needed to differentiate from the 2 types here.. time,if an offender remains clean,or the victim recants..the offence should be dismissed after a period of some years,especially those deemed misdemeanors and tried in traffic courts.what does this say about the usa?people in japan take bath together,young/old-men-women..can you imagine the sex-offender list there??

Posted by: craig laver | Sep 26, 2012 11:24:03 AM

Another wife here of a man falsely accused by a teen who told grossly inconsistent stories. No evidence of course. She said it, so it must've happened because teens don't lie, right? Many charges were dropped in the process, but one stuck. Due to the environment we were dealing with he accepted a plea (i will never judge again) and another innocent man's life destroyed. I hope those that lined their pockets with our pain get what they deserve in life.

Posted by: AnnieM | Jul 21, 2013 1:43:28 PM

I am a mom who son was given a teir 3 for life cause my little nephew said when he was 5 or six my then. 18 year old to such his butt.and said he was naked.

Posted by: Deborah Richardson | Jan 18, 2015 8:31:16 AM

recently married a sex offender. We are from Michigan, my husband on his 18th birthday was arrested for sleeping with a girl that was 15 1/2 and got four counts of CSC he served 15 years and ( he also got a drinking charge and some B&E's while out on bail) and is now on the sex offender registry. When I first starting seeing him I didn't allow him around my children and search him and asked to see the court papers. He showed me everything and has nothing to hide on it however it seems the romeo and juilet law helps but is expensive and there are so many guidelines we don't know if we should waste our money. My ex husband has tried accusing my husband of touching my daughter they found it false and we moved on with our live we take every precaution to protect him like he is never alone with my children at all but we do everything as a family so we get plenty of time and when I work the kids go to sitter just to keep people from saying stuff. Now I get a call from wayne county foster care and they want a background check for everyone in my home because apparently I have a nephew that has been in foster care that we did not know about and he needs to be placed. Well I doubt im going to get him so he might unforentyly be stuck there due to the outlook on how people look at the title of a sex offender rather then going by the information. You can be put on the registry now for anything so what is the point of having a registry at all. When the cop came to my house when my ex husband made the accusation he told me I was risking my children and this was a bad guy. Like I told the officer and because u wear a badge you must eat a lot of doughnuts. Herest he thing my so called sex offender husband takes the best care of me and my children he works hard and spoils us. Where my ex husband has pulled guns on me and beat me up so many times it crazy lets just say with that comment the cop left. im not sure if I should divorce my husband so I can gain my nephew because I don't want him to sit in foster care but how unfair is that im so confused and fusterated with the system.
EMAIL: [email protected]

Posted by: jodi | Jan 31, 2015 1:46:07 AM

hello
i am a mother of a 16 yr old handicapped child.my son accused his best friend who is 19 now of sexual abuse when he spent a weekend at his house in oct. of 2014..my son came home with big bite mark from him on his arm close to his shoulder.and claw marks on his chest.so the law came and took pics and statement but didn't arrest the man who lived right acroos the street. for 2 weeks my son told them where the evidence was at but they didnt go get it.now i have kept my son out of school since the incident.because the man is allowed bk in school around the other children even though i contacted school several times about him admitting to also playing with another childs breats that he is friends with because it cheers her up.i am being threatened with jail time if i dont send my kid back to school.the man was finally arrested for 2nd degree sexual assault.but out on bail and i was told by the school that the man is allowed to continue school there.the mans family is threatening to kill my kids and us if these charges arent dropped. i have printouts of the threats and they verbally said the same thing at court in front of the law but the law here does nothing so they postponed court until next month.with all this going on do i have the right to keep my child at home who can't walk or talk to defend himself?they switched classes but still have to ride same bus and i dont want my son to be around him at all.plz contact me [email protected]

Posted by: concerned parent | Mar 30, 2015 11:48:50 AM

If someone had sex with a minor 3 years ago and someone speaks out about it, can anything happen to that person? Contact at [email protected]

Posted by: curious parent | Mar 31, 2015 11:43:31 PM

My husband is a convicted sex offender and without going into too many details he was young and stupid and made a mistake that is now haunting both of us for the rest of our lives. I do truly believe that someone who is a true sex offender should be severely punished and deserves any consequences that come along with the charge after release from prison, but I also know the other side of it because I live it everyday. While there are tiers is RRAS I believe that the after effect of what these people have to go through is to much of a blanket effect. It ruins lives and creates a stigma that gives rise to nothing positive. In fact some of the restrictions were revised because they were either unconstitutional or ineffective. I am not here to talk about how fair or unfair it is because my opinion is obviously completely biased. I do believe that people who say all sex offenders should be castrated or tortured or something of that nature are too ignorant of any truth. Every person has his or her story and every story has a family behind it. These men that now have to register under Megans Law or the Adam Walsh Act for a mistake they made when they were young are not sexual predators and they have families. They have mothers and father, sister and brothers, wives and friends who love them very much. Murderers do not have to go through what these men do and that in and of itself is so frustrating and that is what I would call unfair. However, if anyone has any experience with a registered sex offender having to go through a living assessment to live with his children I have so many questions. My husband and I have been married for 2 years, together for 8 and I love him very much and would do anything for him. I am faithful and loyal and will stand by him through whatever bullshit the state or government wants to throw our way. We will get through all of it and come out on top and stronger than ever. Our love will persevere and now the time has come for us that we want to start a family. However because he must register he is required to go through this living assessment to determine whether or not he is capable of living with his own children. has anyone experience or dealt with this before? I need to know how long and what it takes to get approved. He has caught a violation before and done the time but nothing involving children. The original arrest was before we met when he was 18 and young and stupid and now it is effecting our lives in such a way that it is so ridiculous. Anyone with any experience, knowledge or information that is willing to share with me it is so greatly and truly appreciated

Posted by: faithful wife | May 13, 2015 1:25:00 AM

i just want some one to answer me wrong right indifference I just need help back in 1980 they gave my uncle life for first degree rape he never been in trouble but one time him and his sister was fighting and my mom call the police but he went to juvenile for one day to teach him a lesson he has never had nothing crazy but they gave him life I really don't understand the woman in the court room said all blacks look alike they had no dna just her word and we found out they say the man who did it had beenin trouble before for peeping tom and sexual stuff even my uncle girlfriend told them he didn't do it I just need some help because he has been in there since 1980 sept for something he didn't do and for 35 years you can look it up james ray Johnson birthday jan 31 1957 I cry everytime even if he did it I see people getting out for murder and later the da that got him sentence was found out to be racist I love everybody but I don't get it

Posted by: pamela rivenbark | Jul 21, 2015 6:12:16 PM

I stumbled across this page while trying to see if my husband, who is a registered sex offender, could pick my daughter (his step-daughter) up from school. To give a background on his story - just over 10 years ago, he was at a party. He had just found his first wife cheating on him with his best friend and he was in a bad state of mind. He had way too much to drink. He was 26 at the time. There was a young "lady" at the party who was 14 and had a huge crush on him. She ended up giving him a hand job. There was no other sexual contact between the two. She bragged about the incident to her friends and wrote about it in her diary. Word got around the school and the school officials found her diary at the school and turned it over to the police and pressed charges. They showed up at his work and arrested him. After accepting a plea bargain under the direction of his lawyer, he served 6 months in jail. He had to do 3 years of probation and go through anger management classes. He ended up being convicted of a higher charge than what he was originally charged with. He was charged with aggravated sexual assault of a minor. Because of her age - he was also listed as a sexual predator. That in and of itself blows my mind. If a woman had been in that same situation and had been severally intoxicated and a 14 year old boy had used his hands on her - it would have been considered rape!

Did it happen - yes. Was it aggravated assault? No! Should he be considered a sexual predator? Hell no! His entire life has been ruined over something that never should have happened. Why in the world was there a 14 year old at a party to begin with? It just angers me. Luckily since he has moved to the state I'm living in now they have removed the "sexual predator" from the registration and he is just listed as a sex offender of a minor. That is enough to make our lives very difficult. Because he was convicted of a felony, he can't get a job. He worked at the same job for 10 years before he moved here. He is incredibly intelligent and more than capable of doing any of the jobs he's applied for, but all of the corporations have the "we don't hire felons" policies. So even though he would be no where near children, they won't hire him.

How are these people supposed to make a living? We are in the process of trying to start a business for him so he can help provide for our family, but it is a lot of front end start up cost. I work full time, but I barely make enough to pay the bills. I have 3 children and my ex does not pay enough child support to take care of the other things like groceries, clothing, doctor bills, etc. I just want to cry. It is a very helpless feeling because there is nothing we can do to make the situation better :(

I understand wanting to protect kids, but there are no "Murder Offender Registries" or "Theft Offender Registries". One small mistake and their entire lives are destroyed. There is no getting around it. I think if someone is a multiple offender then it would be beneficial to put them on some sort of registry - but on more offenses than just "sex offense". Sex offense is such a broad category too that it's unfortunate people's lives are ruined for things that aren't in my opinion actual crimes :/

I just hope there comes a time when they have better ways of dealing with sex offenses.

Posted by: Helpless Wife | Aug 8, 2015 3:44:32 PM

my friend had papers served to him by a officer about charges of having sex with a 16 yr old and she is preg my friend admitted to that officer that he has had sex with her will he be charged as a sex offender one way or the other plz help me i need answers

Posted by: april in texas | Sep 14, 2015 4:56:02 PM

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