Nov. 2012
I want to share a story of something my wife and I are going through right now. As a registered sex offender, it has been extremely difficult to find housing. This spring, we applied to purchase a mobile home in a local mobile home park. When it was explained that there would be a background check, I started to withdraw my application, explaining that I have a felony record. I was told that I should let it go forward anyway and see what happens. A week later, I was quite surprised to hear that our application had been approved. Now, 6 months later, I have received a notice of violating community rules because there is a sex offender registered at my address. I have come to find out that the woman in the sales office avoided the problem of my having a record by simply not submitting the paperwork for the background check. But now somebody has seen my listing on the registry web site and complained to the corporate office. They are now conducting an investigation and actually running the background check. The results are going to be quite obvious. I was convicted of a felony sexual offence (trading underage pornography on the internet). When the investigation is over, they are going to require that I leave, which I will fight. If they had denied the application BEFORE we purchased, we never would have. But now we can’t afford to move.
s.
Well, they say there are over 700,000 people, men and woman and teenagers also on the registry. I know some are homeless; some are in prison; some have fought this in other states and have won. Some states won’t even implement SORNA; lucky them I suppose, but they scull have a registry. Where are the rest of them? Do they not see this web site? Maybe they’re afraid to put their opinions on here or afraid to fight. I am always careful what I do either way now. I have read about SO’s being beaten and murdered, stalked by gangs and other people. I am used to watching my back. I have for many decades because I used to run with gangs; isn’t that ironic. At least that’s one thing that I have grown used to over the years. People have said why don’t you join Facebook. That must be where the rest reside. I don’t even know if I’m allowed to have a Facebook account. I never had one to began with anyway.
Ok, so I received a letter from the PSP Friday stating that I am a tier 2 now. I knew that because I called them and asked but was lied to by the person on the other end. They said I only had to register for ten more years, but in the letter it states that I have to register for 25 more years. So 35 years will be the final registration time period-wow. If that’s not considered extending punishment and violating my rights, I would hate to see what is then.
I have joined the ACLU and received my members card also . I will have to call them then; they must be very busy I’m sure. I will have to let them know that my tier has been assigned to me because when they called me I had told them I was still tier pending. That makes a lot of sense what you said, Matthew. A lot of this is just my frustration coming out as you can see in the confusion of names above; lol. I am quite a mess at times. I have sent multiple letters to Harrisburg though.
No, I think I meant John; I must be crazy too.
I meant Adam.
Well I have sent a certified letter to Harrisburg in reference to what I have done to get my life together on the last 13 years or so as far as having a carrier now for the past 10 years and staying clean from drugs and what not and some other things as well like good credit and not getting in trouble with the law. I am asking them to review my tier because it is now number 2 and should be 1 or 0 I told them this is UNCONSTITUTIONAL and this is in VIOLATION of my RIGHTS. If they don’t lower my tier or let me off this registry I’m going to file a lawsuit. I didn’t say that part of course because they are going too far with this and have violated to many people’s rights and the constitution itself and no one is listening or at least it sure feels like no one is listening and no one in congress or anywhere else cares or it appears that way. I think just about any lawyer will take my case because they will see that I am a responsible and productive person in society. I’m not even sure the ACLU is even paying any attention or taking any type of action at this point. I don’t see anything telling us they are doing anything at this point. John Walsh is obsessed with this. I’m very truly sorry someone killed his son I truly am but I didn’t kill him; some ass hole that actually had a problem did. Someone this obsessed for this long with punishing people and wanting to make people suffer for the rest of their lives rely needs help for real. He is obviously insane and people don’t see this?. I can say I have a 13 year old daughter and if someone did that to my kid I would go after that person and make that person pay the price not make thousands pay for it and keep paying for it.
Brian,
I have had 3 replies from the ACLU collecting more information from me about this, and they say they are looking into it on various levels of being unconstitutional. MY thinking is they are collecting information and are going to attack it on the various levels so they can make sure they win; just my thinking.
But, anything you can do to make waves and poke holes in it, might also help. One way is to join the ACLU and be a active member and let them hear their members’ voices.
There was a lawyer near Philly that was going to help, but he wanted donations and I haven’t heard anything from the RSOL contact person about what’s still going on with the lawyer so I guess he isn’t doing anything.