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Posted on the travel page as well, but since it is a November experience, I have it crossposted here.
I live in California and recently took a cruise out of Miami to the Bahamas. I have TSA Precheck so flying is always no hassle. Traveled from CA to FL without issue. Boarding the cruise was no issue. It required a passport and they scanned it the same as they scan anyone else’s passport and I boarded. No problem exiting ship at any of the Bahama islands. On the last night of the cruise I got a note that Customs & Border Patrol wanted me to report for secondary inspection, so I’d be leaving the boat about an hour before other people. 4 couples (including myself and girlfriend) exited the boat early. We went through customers. When it was my turn CBP took me into another room and asked if I knew why I was here. I told them yes. They asked who I was traveling with. I told them. They asked if she knew I was an RSO. I said yes. They confirmed that. Then he said, okay, what’s going to happen is we’re going to search the bags of you two. If I find anything related to your offense, we’ll search your phone. Otherwise, you’ll be free to go. Sure enough, they searched bags and asked us questions (where do you work, etc). It probably took 3 minutes per bag. At the end he thanked us for our patience and showed us where to exit and we went and hopped on our transfers back to the airport.
In summary, it was a good experience. Since I was leaving the country, I did submit the 21-day federal notice to my local police. They seemed clueless about it which was fine with me. I got the SO lady to make me a copy of it and add her name/date/biz card as a sort of proof that I submitted it.
Customs was a slight annoyance but the officer was professional and relatively fast. All told, probably added 30 minutes to the deboarding process, but getting to leave 1hr early probably saved me a half an hour. Their interaction with the 3 other couples seemed to roughly mirror what I experienced.
I traveled Norweigan Cruise Lines which googling suggested was relatively friendly to sex offenders, and if they knew I was, they never let on and my experience was as enjoyable as anyone else’s.
A rather appropriate video for all of us, especially if we were high profile cases…like I was:
https://youtu.be/Yq7Eh6JTKIg
Lately 90% of the time I have to cross the salton sea inland check point I get pulled into secondary w/ some obviously bogus excuse and grilled like a suspect in a recent crime. I am not on probation or parole and have not been on paper for more than a year. Today the captain admitted that the computer flagged me for “criminal record”. He was polite but still. My registration is current and according to him no detainers show , but they need to “verify my legal status”. Is this legal? Is there anything I can do besides avoid all checkpoints (not really an option) or put up with the Nazi like behaviour of the Border Patrol?
Im so done. Please forgive my vent. I read these forums all the time but rarely post, so none of you know who I am. I was convicted in 2012 of possessing CP. After spending 2 years incarcerated I was given probation for 20 years, and of course, lifetime registry. It destroyed my marriage (which I understand) and I lost almost all of my life long friends. I am currently 51 with no children.
But I endured. I rebuilt my business. Got involved with a great church where I mentor college men dealing with porn issues. Probation and Parole (PnP) even removed me from the harsh sex offender probation and put me on a general case load. They pulled me in and got me involved in mentoring offenders being released from prison and then promoted me to be on the mentor advisory board for the entire state of Idaho. Last year I received a scholarship to pursue a psychology degree at a private christian college here in Boise where I have been on the dean’s list since I started. I have been called the campus dad and the kids all look up to me. They know I went to prison, but only a few (and all the staff) know the real reason. I own my home, cars, and have some good close friends. I have a great relationship with my parents.
But I am missing that one thing that I would give it all up for. Someone to love. A reason to come home at night. A woman to love and care for. Each time I get close, and I tell her my back story, she goes away. I can’t blame them, I don’t blame them. My close girlfriends all love me dearly, and say I am a wonderful catch, yet, I am still single. I go out, I have a life, I pursue all my hobbies and loves, yet I do them alone. I have no problem attracting well adjusted women who I would love to date. They get really excited about me and can not wait to see me again. Until the day comes where I must tell them of my past. Most of the time they say it is ok, then I never hear from them again. A few have up and walked out. Two have remained, but permanently placed me in the friend zone. To make matters worse, those two are the ones who keep telling me I am such a good catch the most, yet will not date me… In fact, each time they try to help by telling me I am such a wonderful man, just digs the knife in deeper. If I am so wonderful, why did they turn me away?
I am not one who likes to be alone. I have been married since leaving high school until my arrest. Being single for the last 7 years has been harder than probation for me. I am told she is out there somewhere. I want to believe that, I really do. But more and more I am convinced that when I meet her, she will just turn me away as well.
Recently, an appeals court article was posted here about the cycle of publishing opinions. I can’t remember who posted it and don’t want to call out incorrectly one of our forum members, so if the person who did post it would repost it or provide the ACSOL link here, I’d appreciate it. I wish to read it.
Btw, 2nd, 3rd, and 11th CCoAs are flipping in their majority members, e.g. party nominated membership. Given how Justice Gorsuch has voted, maybe that doesn’t matter? Remains to be seen in these courts.
@Mike G The plate reader they have reports that my vehicle is red flagged (in my name and listed on SO registry) then they demand my DL which they hold while ordering me to secondary. They then I assume check the registry and call PnP to check. This NEVER happened while on probation. It started a few months after I discharged my probation.
https://www.law360.com/cybersecurity-privacy/articles/1221781/divulging-password-violates-5th-amendment-pa-justices-say?nl_pk=b3c31dad-3d04-4226-845d-7b2dce62bdfb&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=cybersecurity-privacy
Honestly, I wouldn’t care if our society (Earth) disappeared today. There is way too much hate and way too much greed for a society to benefit. The ones who benefit have too much money and too much influence over the 7.7 billion humans here.
If I died knowing there’d be a “reset” on this planet, I’d be be happy to sacrifice my life. Human’s destroyed this planet, let humans suffer. LOL, my dog is jumping up in my lap objecting right now. Maybe she has to pee, maybe she needs to bark at some celestial entity, idk.
I fight for us, I can’t fight the world (Earth). If I have a beam of light draw down into backyard… I’m stepping into it (and taking doggie too).
Has anyone heard any news about lawsuits against the Florida Registry?? I donated $$ to one of the suits (promoted by Florida Action Committee, as I recall), but have heard nothing since. 😕
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnAd75-TH5c
everyone should watch this. They are gonna start marking dui drivers license so everyone knows they are drunk drivers.
Remember the judge who threw out the case with regard to IML marking on the passport, because the law hadn’t been implemented yet, and there were no damages accrued?
Well, a New Jersey congressman cited a statistic with regard to “human trafficking.” Link to story:
https://newjerseyglobe.com/congress/smith-tells-prosecutors-to-help-fight-human-trafficking/
Here is the relevant pull quote:
Over ONE-THIRD of registrants planning on traveling were DENIED ENTRY. Is THIS what the good judge needed?
Does anyone know how to get news stories removed that report your case? I dispute facts and presentation of material of it. Its seriously hindering my ability to get a quality job.
Tacoma News Tribune: Sex offenders: Shaming them publicly is arbitrary, cruel.
https://www.thenewstribune.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/article237808254.html.
“Jane Q. Public” makes valid points & kudos to TNT for publishing her letter!
Doing some legal research tonight on my registry fee case, and a came across a court order that stated this,
“In Smith, the Supreme Court considered only “whether the registration requirement is a retroactive
punishment prohibited by the Ex Post Facto Clause.” Id. at 89 (emphasis added). In Smith, sex
offenders who were convicted prior to Alaska’s registration statute had initiated a lawsuit under
42 U.S.C. § 1983 seeking to strike down the registration requirement as unconstitutional, but
they were not facing prosecution as criminal defendants for failing to register. Id. at 91. Without
considering the criminal punishment for failing to register, the Court determined that the
registration requirement only “create[d] a civil, nonpunitive regime,” id. at 96, and consequently
that “retroactive application does not violate the Ex Post Facto Clause.” Id. at 106.1”
So, did SCOTUS really not consider the criminal punishment that goes with failure to register when they decided Smith?
So quick question, I’m in California, and not on the public list. Is there a way for people to know my status?
When cruise lines say they don’t allow RC’s, would they know about me? If Disneyland says they don’t allow entrance to RC’s, would they know about me? If any company has a policy against RC’s, would they know about me?
If I apply for a job and they do a background check, would this come up? My conviction was reduced and expunged.
Basically I guess, are they checking the public registry or something else?
Thanks.
Anyone know who the lawyers were in Doe v. Raemich (7th Cir.)?
They sure keep Halloween drunk driver deaths quiet. Didn’t hear about this one near Long Beach. Unrelated story from LATimes.
“Then on Halloween night, an alleged drunk driver struck his older brother, sister-in-law and 3-year-old nephew while they were walking with a stroller along a sidewalk bordering Los Cerritos Park in Long Beach. All three died.”