I would like to thank you in advance for taking the time to read my letter. I am a very concerned citizen with some VERY SERIOUS issues with Escambia county sheriffs office and the FDLE. I have been doing extensive research on the sex offender registration program here in Escambia county for almost a year now, all due to the false arrest of a sex offender that was complying with the local as well as federal law.
1) I will start with the problem I found the FDLE official website that list Sex offenders in this county and all over Florida. I went to the website to check out how many sex offenders lived within a 5 mile radius of my address. I found 501. But once I started looking at the list, only 102 of the offenders were CURRENT. Why? This list is NOT current. Megan's law was put into effect so that the public was aware of where in the community these sex offenders are located so that we could better protect our children. It was also to aid law enforcement should something happen to a child in the area. But this is not the case here. And
2) The other problem I have is FDLE wants to go after the offender for NOT complying with the registration laws, yet they don't comply with federal regulations. Why is this being allowed? Why is FDLE and the sheriffs office allowed to give excuses and not be punished for there inadequacy? I believe the federal government needs to find a better system. They need to hold the counties accountable for their actions, just like the county holds the offender accountable.
3) The sex offender list has caused many widespread problems in the United States, such as vigilantes who takes matters into their own hands, which is exactly what a couple in N.C. has done. The way the registry is set up, it puts ALL sex offenders on this list, whether they are a threat to society or not. I have heard the deputies say that the system needs to be reevaluated. They think its a waste of time and money to monitor sex offenders who don't pose a threat to our community. If they didn't have to monitor these offenders, it would leave time and money to monitor the ones our community should fear.
4) Within the State of Florida, there are many cases where persons where prosecuted and convicted of sex crimes without DNA, and little to NO evidence except for the word of the accuser. There should be a full investigation into all allegations before a formal charge is made. In the case I've been reviewing, The defendant was charged with a lewd and lascivious act in the presence of a minor. The mother stated that this person allegedly broke into her home through her 14 yr old daughters bedroom window tapped her on the shoulder and asked her to smoke a joint. How is this a sex act. And now these people prosecuted basically have a life sentence. Why? Because of the way the law is structured.
5) I found that in some cases, where someone being charged with a sex offense, the defendant was not counseled correctly as to the severity of the offense. The majority of these cases where handled by the Public defenders office, and in one case, no investigating was done by the ASA or the attorney on record. The defendant wasn't even informed he would have to register as a sex offender. This is a grave injustice. It's reasons like this that the sex offender laws need to be reevaluated. This point is only part of the fall out of the failing system. Not to mention the issue of double jeopardy.
6) The ASA is not knowledgeable in the sex offender laws, yet they prosecute defendants and ad lib the law when it is convenient. This is not about another win for them this is about the lives of possibly innocent people. And on the flip side the don't know enough and have let some of these dangerous people go, simply to offend again.
These are the main points I wanted to make and propose the following:
1) Have Escambia County and FDLE investigated and made to comply with the federal law of SORNA.
2) To rework the tiers of sex offenders. Low Level sex offenders should have to report to the sheriff office in the same manner as a release felon. The way I and many others look at it, what makes these offenders any less dangerous then a murderer or an armed robber. These people can be just as much treat to the public.
3) If a low level sex offender has been compliant for 5 yrs with no new SEX crimes he should be exempt from registering, not 10 years.
4) All predators and pedophiles should have to register for life.
Please consider making a change. Our Sheriffs office is already having to give up the job of running the jail because they are incompetent. I sincerely hope you will contact me in regards to this. I am working on a program for our community to help offenders as well as victims. I would like the opportunity discuss this further.
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