originally posted 8/20/2009
I was convicted several years ago of three counts of possession of child pornography. Sentenced to three months of home confinement, I opted for jail time instead. In the state where I was convicted, I am registered as a Level 1 offender and, in seven years, will no longer have to register. I live within several blocks of a school, live on the same block as a Level Three offender, and contact the local authorities every six months to keep them informed of my residence. I am definitely not at risk to re-offend.
My home state lists me on their registry as a predator, and my picture appears on their site. I am unable to go home. I could not live with my parents, whose home is a few blocks from an elementary school. This situation is embarrassing and distressing for my family and friends. My predicament illustrates how destructive our current views on “sex offenses” really are.