My life of hell on Indiana’s sex offender registry (SOR) began in 2003 when I was arrested for looking at and printing out pictures of nude preteen girls from the internet. I had just graduated high school at the time, was working a dead-end job, and living on my own with no friends or girlfriend. Also, two major contributing factors to why I was looking at girls that age were that I had been molested when I was very young and the therapist I was taken to failed to address the issue of the abuse in any way.
So, I’m in jail as a young adult. This is my first run-in with the law; I had never even had so much as a driving ticket. I am facing two counts, a C Felony and a D Felony. I meet with my court-appointed attorney and he tells me that if I sign the plea bargain that the state will drop the C Felony and I am pleading guilty to the D Felony. So, I signed. Well, he lied to me big time to get me to plead guilty to the more serious charge, and the state dropped the D Felony.
When I got released from prison, I was immediately on probation for the next six years, and I have to register as a sex offender for the next ten. Plus, I had to attend and comply with the very strict rules of court-mandated group therapy. I did the therapy for over four years and spent over $8,000 on it, and I get absolutely NO recognition for it now.
During my fourth annual check-in with the coordinator of the SOR, she deleted the words “ten-year registration” and my end-registration date and changed it to Lifetime! Why? I have no idea! I had not committed any new sex offenses or violated any rules of group therapy, probation, or the registration. She had no right whatsoever to do that!
When that coordinator was replaced by another coordinator, I told the new lady what the former one had done. The new lady said that she should not have done that, but also that she wasn’t going to fix it.
Now I am stuck on Indiana’s radar for the rest of my life, and no one will listen to me or look at the vast evidence I have that I have been wronged and victimized. I am also married and a father of two young grade-schoolers, and they are affected every day by my continued punishment.
I have seen people convicted of child molesting and rape that only have to register for ten years! Where is the justice and fairness in that?
Its not about admitting this or that….. it should not be that harsh of a sentence! Wake up ! Young people have sex all the time ! The law is not always right! The registry is illegal !
Really? Check her ID? Where have you been? Most teens (male and female) have fake IDs now to get them into bars, etc. And, if she shows you a fake ID and you (like most bars) assume that it’s correct, it’s still your fault. Because you’re supposed to have some kind of awesome radar that detects girls that are underage, even though they look like they’re 25, dressed older and the ID says they are 25.
and……..for those who don’t know. Indiana allows a defense of mistake in age. Same with some other states. too….so…..
https://www.cga.ct.gov/PS99/rpt%5Colr%5Chtm/99-R-1084.htm
so…………..what, you don’t think people can just google that shit?
Google your lies before you tell them.
Hint: (you should know this) it varies by the state
Why does you comment seem as though it was meant for a different story topic? This guy is talking about viewing underage girls online, not having an affair with someone underage.
uh………….what?
Your story leads with registry for life, then says ten years. Which is it bro?
Did you bother to read the story? He said his registry was CHANGED from 10 yrs to LIFE TIME by the SOR Unit.
Oh ya that makes sense ” hey baby before we have sex i need to see you drivers license” how ignorant are you and how many people ask that question have you ever asked that question?
If it’s the difference between being on the registry. Why not?
There are laws that go with this kind of stuff if she wasn’t supposed to change your end date for no reason you need to, or at least should have, hired an attorney to get this fixed. This is serious shit—and I’m not even a sex offender.
That would be like a judge changing your maximum release date from 2 years to 20 on a whim; it doesn’t happen and if the judge oversteps their boundary they have re-sentencing hearings.
You need to take responsibility for what you did. All you did was blame others for your sins.
The registry is unfair but refusing to take responsibility just support the rediculous argument that it’s necessary.
Jonny, you can not make that comment without knowing what this individual has gone through. Have you been on the same situation before?
Jonny, I agree with Mike. You have no right to judge someone like that. People make mistakes. Have you never not made one? My son was 21 and the girl was almost 16. He thought she was older. The morning after having sex, she went to her mother and told her she was pregnant with HIS baby. Of course, she had an abortion right away and we could not prove it was not his. His mother pursued my son and his life is ruined because of the registry.
Oh I have but I’ve also accepted my fault in my actions. I don’t believe you can blame a therpaist for acting out against other people.
The number one stereotype for registrants is living in denial and not taking responsibility for our mistakes.
@Gerri, I am sorry for what happened to your son but we have to take due diligence. I’m sure he didn’t know then but if you’re having sex with someone you don’t know well, it would be wise to check their ID.