Category: Tales from the Registry

originally posted 3/12/2009 Agent Jim stopped by the house yesterday as it’s his last week as Mike’s parole agent. He wanted to wish Mike the best of luck with the flooring business and told him it was a pleasure to be his agent over the past year. As we were talking, I asked him what he was going to be doing in his new role. He said to me: ‘Margie, I think you’re the greatest! Mike can’t fail as long as he knows you. You’ve brought to my attention some interesting facts. But, I’m getting out of the Sex Offender Unit because of the Adam Walsh Act. I just cannot do this as I don’t believe that people who have been off the registry for years should be forced back on it. Eventually, the whole situation with sex offenders will become out of control. I also don’t like the tier levels. I think the only people that can provide fact…

originally posted 2/25/2009 I am a registered sex offender. In 1995 I agreed to a plea bargain of 10 years deferred adjudication probation in exchange for a guilty plea. In the end my sentence included 10 years probation, sex offender counseling, a $10,000 dollar fine, 60 days of work release jail time, 400 hours of community service and of course, sex offender registration. But the consequences did not stop there. I was evicted from my apartment and once my case was finalized, my wife filed for divorce. As a condition of the probation I had to report to a probation officer once a month and attend sex offender classes twice a week. The classes took place during normal working hours and I was missing so much time at work that I was fired from my job. I also had to take a polygraph at least once a year at a cost of $350 per test. About 5 years into the…

originally posted 2/22/2009 I am a friend of a retired military Vietnam veteran. During the 90’s he was wrongfully accused of rape and spent nearly  3 years in prison before the “victim” came forward and confessed that she had lied about her allegations. During his trial he was “helped” by another individual in the military who was found committing adultery and sent to prison himself. After he was exonerated of the rape charge, he went to visit the other individual at his home in Florida. While he was visiting, two young daughters of the other man found a vibrating massager (the large kind) in his van and asked what it was. He explained what it was and demonstrated. The wife was not happy at this and took both children to a counselor for evaluation. Nothing was found at that point in time and he went on for the next 8 years living, working, travelling (locally, out of state & abroad multiple times) and abiding all laws in…

originally posted 2/10/2009 My son had a breakdown in Feb. He spent two weeks in the state mental health hospital. He was released, prematurely and two days later he was worse than when this nightmare started. Once again 911 was called and he was taken back to the hospital. He has been diagnosed as bipolar; all involved that the stress of being an SO has brought this on. It’s four weeks tomorrow since the first hospitalization and I can happily say that he is starting to respond to meds. I’m finding that our mental health system is just as bad as our SO laws. The docs, social worker and case manager are starting to plan for his release next week. They want him to be moved to a residential center for three weeks to make sure he is on the right road. NOW I”M ANGRY……………………he can’t go because he is an SO and the facility is next to a school!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!…

originally posted 2/8/2009 I was an investigative protective services social worker for four years when I was younger and have been a therapist for over twenty years. I would never have believed that my oldest son who is mentally ill would go through what he did because a child lied about him abusing her. She recanted a year ago. And why did she do this? Because she was jealous of the relationship my son had with her older sister. This child lived in an extremely dysfunctional family and in a neighborhood where lying to the police was common. My son was naive and took an alford plea because of very poor legal representation. He was never told he needed to register. His case is under appeal. But the prosecutors in these cases handled them in an extremely roughshod manner. They are far from being individualized according to dangerousness of the defendant. My son’s life has been ruined by this. He…

2/8/2009 Sex offenders are victims of a modern day witch hunt. Special laws are created and tailored to destroy anyone labeled a sex offender. One can only wonder, where is our Civil Liberties Union. Instead of defending the rights of Americans who have become victims of this witch hunt they choose to spend their time defending terrorists. Shouldn’t our rights be defended before those of a foreigner who wants to do nothing more than kill all Americans? In 1981 I was arrested for a violent sex crime and ultimately spent over 14 years in prison and am now classified as a violent sex offender. I will add that no life was lost, for those that might wonder. I was railroaded and spent years fighting my case. After years of filing motions and petitions it taught me that the judicial system will go out of its way and sidestep the law to rule against you if you are right. At present I am…

originally posted 2/6/2009 I live in Wisconsin. I have three children and my oldest is 12. Their father lives in the state of Texas, so I sent all three of my children to visit their father, his girlfriend, and her three children for the summer. Now keep in mind that my oldest son is not that man’s child but he has been there for him since he was 3 months old. At the time my son was only 11 years old. My son is a very caring boy and would never hurt anyone. He is a very good student who has never been in trouble with anyone or anything…Ever!!! The boy’s father and his girlfriend lived in separate apartments at the time I sent them to Texas but shortly after they moved in together, into a two bedroom apartment with six children. The girlfriend sent my oldest son to one bedroom for punishment and while he was in there one of…

originally posted 2/2/2009 I have been a businessman in Albuquerque for 20 years. I served time, and am living a clean and sober life today with a wonderful wife of 40 years, who has forgiven and inspired me to live Godly. God has given me the privilege of preaching approximately once a month. I remain, a servant of man because of God’s forgiving love. Fred V. Ruston, Albuquerque, New Mexico

1/18/2009 My 30 year old son has pleaded guilty of distribution of child porn. He is now awaiting sentencing. I am heartbroken. My son is deaf and had no idea how serious his crime was and how his life is now ruined. He can no longer live with his own children.

originally posted 1/18/2009 In 1986 i was convicted of 2nd degree sexual assault, the one & only criminal offense I’ve ever had in my 74 years of life . Everything I’ve  read here by Mr Shannon is sooo very,very true ! Even today after 26 years (from the time of the alleged offense), my sentence continues on a daily basis . I’ve had no support as the family has taken a back seat to how i must live with the new laws & restrictions which I’m subject to as a offender . I only wish I would have known about this hotline years ago. Isolated and suffering in Mississippi