By Kas…
In 2015, my wife and I had our kid’s high school friends over all of the time to play computer games on our sons’ or their own computers, or with the gaming systems on TV. Unbeknownst to us (the parents) one or more of the teenagers (most under 18, some not) were viewing and downloading CP torrents to their computers. This led to our local law enforcement (LLE) being notified by the Feds and raiding our house and taking all computers present. Sure enough, both of our kids computers contained illegal files. But the police pursued a malicious prosecution against me because I was a teacher and (according to my lawyer) “was a better target.” Worse, the police threatened to arrest my spouse if anyone (other than me) kept trying to take responsibility for the files. (My spouse would immediately lose employment if even arrested for such a crime.) My defense attorney’s solution was bribing the judge. After two of the judges were recused for corruption, the third judge refused to be bribed. Then, my defense counsel had the prosecutor come over and refuse to hold a trial at all, but that I needed to just plead guilty and keep the truth quiet. Then I learned that there isn’t a lawyer in this state (Maryland) that has EVER EVEN GONE TO TRIAL. Not that no lawyer has ever WON, but also that EVERY SINGLE CP CASE IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND IS THE RESULT OF A GUILTY PLEA. Wow, we should get these local CP cops elected Police Commissioners in big cities like Baltimore if they not only have a 100% conviction rate, but a 100% conviction rate with no trials! There’s much more, and soon this will become a national story, but for the time being, I’m getting the conviction thrown out and exposing all of this corruption, slowly but surely.
I was convicted of statuatory rape in 1993 and im still on the registry. The registry wasn’t even thought about in 93 do you think I would of took the plea if I knew my life would be destroyed forever?
Wow, red flags everywhere in this post. I served seven years in prison for Pandering. In my most desperate time of denial and lack of wisdom, I thought I could get a judge bribed. Not gonna happen. Your attorney is your guide through the legal system, not your savior and not likely to risk their career for a sex case. Why would you entertain the idea to bribe a judge if you were innocent? “the third judge refused to be bribed.” Hmmmm. Sounds like a Federal crime has just been exposed.
Do you even know why attorneys are scared to take these cases to trial? I do because I educated myself studying law for 7yrs. I even sued the Warden for 8th Amendment claim and settled for 7,500k. See. Thorp v. ODRC
Sadly, I have heard this same story from guys, while in prison, taking SOP. All too many times. Your in for a real eye opener sir. My advice, get honest with your wife, God, yourself, and try to save your family. Prayers to you and your family. God Bless.
I’m also on for CP. In my case, the photos were of my girlfriend. We were both young (barely over 18) and the photos predated our relationship on a computer she owned but we shared. They were never sent or shared online, just old pics of hers one of her girlfriends took of her when she was 17. They were literally and provably on the computer before we even met. They got me with “take the plea we charge one count and you do no jail time, no registry, and we dismiss her charges; or don’t take the plea we charge you with 40+ counts and if you lose you both go to prison for 15 years.” At the time I didn’t have to register. This was 20 years ago. Then the law changed and I had to register later on anyway. To this day I struggle with my decision to not go to trial. I am no harm or danger to anyone. I never have been. I was a young guy in a healthy relationship with a legal aged young woman, and Romeo and Juliet doesn’t cover CP arising from a legal relationship. The system is so screwed up. I seriously hope the CP laws weren’t intended to round up people like me. It ruined my life before it even started.
Yours and countless others are clear examples of who should NOT be listed. If there must be a registry then it should be nothing but the worse of the worse (although they should be in jail so really no need for a registry).
So many a victim-less “crimes” such as your individual situation. Child porn is a very easy crime for the police and as you illustrate in the article 99% do not go to trial and end in plea deals which are essentially guilty verdicts since they trigger the registry (usually for life) for reasons that do not help anyone to be safer.
It must change. Sex offender registries are now nothing more than **political tools** used by politicians to manipulate the public with fear about the faceless “boogymen” sex offenders! What a lie. It simple diverts attention from the REAL danger to which is **NOT** stranger danger but rather danger from someone the child or family KNOWS!
Anonymous,
It hurts my heart to hear that you were charged with possession on this basis. It certainly does not instill confidence within our justice system. My husband’s life (and my life vicariously) was ruined for possession as well, so I truly feel your pain. I hope you are faring well now that two decades have elapsed since then.
As for why attorneys are reluctant to represent sex offenders, there are many reasons, and you don’t need to have studied law to be aware of most. Most obviously is the overall social climate of hostility and hate toward anyone accused of sex crimes, and this extends to anyone who defends them, or advocates for reasons and rights, or even judges and politicians who try to be fair and reasonable. Somebody is always trying to outflank them, claiming that they are going to protect victims, etc. Secodly, it’s a no win deal because the deck is stacked, any defense is seen as attacking victims and supporting predators. Third, mo money in it, and lawyers gotta eat too. Fourth, how do you defend against a crime that requires no proof? Fifth, professional consequences. Even 30 years later, without any shred of due diligence, outed for the world as a sex criminal sympathizer. Point I’m making is it’s not for you to declare what is real or why people make choices, especially in matters like this where everyone seems to live in fear of being destroyed by the mob. And trust me when I tell you that the State does not care about innocence, .The pressure to convict is enormous, careers are at stake. I was recently in jail here in Phoenix, the entire floor I was housed on, at least several hundred guys, were in there on flimsy charges like CP and FTR. Honestly, the look of hopelessness and despair was palpable.
Crimes of that nature are a death trap in the US. The court/crimnal justice system is a poison that seeps onto everyone and everything. It is unbelievable how someone could not do anything, get dragged into the system then terrible punishment(which for many would be torture, disease, and death).
Anonymous. I don’t believe those laws were intended to round people like you up but understand that there is a witch hunt for crimes of that nature in America. It trickles down to anyone remotely connected to such crimes. It would have been very obvious that she already had those images on the PC before you even met her but they are hungry to have people pay for such crimes. A man could have relations with an underage girl who lied to him about her age, he would be in serious trouble. Even if she were 17.
In fact, an 18 year old man had committed suicide after being blackmailed by a 15 year girl. If I remember correctly. She made him believe that she was 16 ( which is the bogus, so-called “age of consent” in that particular state) when in fact she was 15, before whatever sexual they had. She then blackmailed him for more sex after the truth was revealed and she let him know what would happen to him if people found out. Surely, nothing would have happened to her though.
A woman was recently arrested for being topless in front of her step children in her garage on a hot day. Facing 10 years of registry. For literally nothing. Oh cause female breasts are “sexual” and the “poor minors” would be “scarred for life” by seeing her breasts. (Nevermind that a billion dollar porn/adult entertainment industry exists where any of it’s filth can be seen/watched freely by minors at school or the comfort of their own home st any time of day) . LE and prosecutors didn’t say all that. I was showing sarcasm.
Good luck Anonymous. Be careful out there. And stay out of trouble.
This brings up a good point. I’d like to know how many RSOs are the results of a plea bargain. My own “defense” attorney 20 years ago won the primary for DA in our home county a month after my case seemed rushed (lgess than a full year) to a conclusion (either take the bargain or go to trial). But how much effort was my “defense” attorney (a la Dershowitz’s book by that name) going to put into getting a case dropped when he was going to become a DA the next year, a pretty sure thing?
I did a plea “bargain” in 1990, before there were any registries. When I was released from prison after serving an 8-year sentence (no chance for parole in TN, which was probably just as well), the registry had just been enacted. At that time, it was just a mail-in thing and wasn’t public, but that didn’t last long. TN now is as restrictive as most states, but not as bad as some it seems. In answer to your query, the overwhelming vast majority of sex-related charges are resolved with plea deals.
I read one of your other posts where you said you had left the US — I’m giving that some thought myself and I’d be interested to know what country you went to and how you made the transition. Can you share a bit of that?
CJ,
Sorry for late reply. Hope you get this.
I’ve been in southeast Asia for 15 years. No problem until I tried to board a plane last year for a trip to the US. I did get a renewal of my retirement visa last July to stay here, but I’m worried I might not be so lucky this year. I’d like to know exactly what shows up when they scan the passport. I doubt it mentions it was 20 years ago when I was much healthier and could still walk around.
I think it’s kind of a crap shoot now. The good and the bad is the translation might not work and some countries might not care unless the imperialism of American culture is so persuasive.
Wait a minute. You had an attorney who tried to bribe judges?? Was he disbarred or charged himself? I wish you all the best in your efforts to expose corruption. However, I suggest getting a more ethical lawyer.
ethical lawyer, oxymoron Ed