STUART, Fla. — The Martin County Sheriff’s Office is warning business owners to be on the lookout for doctored driver’s licenses when hiring potential employees.
“So, on his license, apparently there is supposed to be something that states that he’s a “sexual predator” or something on his license and his has like a cigarette burn there,” said Hillary Hughes.
Hughes said she recently unknowingly hired a new employee who was convicted of a sexual offense.
The employee had altered his driver’s license to cover the “sexual predator” designation.
“When he was asked about it, he just made some comment like he was at a bar drinking and smoking and had just burnt his license by accident,” said Hughes.
“Part of his job was recruiting young women for this local business, so the employers were actually pretty upset they didn’t know what to look for,” said Lt. Yesenia Carde.
Carde said this is not the only case the sheriff’s office has seen.
Recently, another person convicted of a sex offense was caught driving children in a limousine to prom.
Carde’s message to businesses is to check the bottom right corner of licenses for alterations, scuffs and even white-out.
“On the Florida driver’s license, it’ll say “sexual predator”. It’ll actually have the verbiage,” said Carde. “So, look for that. If they’re a “sexual offender”, it’ll just have a statute number. It begins with 943.”
“I’ll bet you 10% of our members don’t know that it appears on a driver’s license,” said Joe Catrambone, president and CEO of the Martin County Chamber of Commerce.
Catrambone said he’ll now share the new info with all of the chamber’s members.
“It’s a liability issue absolutely,” said Catrambone. “If we were to hire offer an employee, an intern, and that intern ended up being a person listed on the sex offense registry, and they offended, again, there’s no question in my mind we would be liable.”
Hughes said moving forward, her business will require nationwide background checks, no matter the position.
She recommends other businesses do the same.
Urgh!! Really?!!
Nothing better to do?!
Damn sex offender notifiers on ID cards and driver’s license that’s scary as Hell.
I don’t think ACSOL and Janice Bellucci could even help the state of Florida at this point the politicians out there have become so drunk with power and money that when it comes to sex offenders all they see is RED
Florida Prides itself on having the toughest sex offender laws in the nation they brag about it.
The reason why Florida has the toughest sex offender laws in the nation is because Florida is one of biggest tourist attractions in the world its amusement park industry is worth trillions.
[Edited by ACSOL Moderators]
Good luck 😈
Wow. This is really something. What kind of P.O.S. thinks this is acceptable in a decent country? America has always been an awful, immoral country and this is just the latest. Registry Supporters/Terrorists deserve everything they get.
I do like how the dummies figured out that they could accomplish their segregation better and more completely just by doing background checks. The Scarlet Letter only covers sex, and not well of course.
“Recently, another convicted sex offender was caught driving children in a limousine to prom.”
Um….children do NOT go to proms.
Don’t branded licenses of law abiding citizens!! Florida has no problem being the laughing stock of the nation. Well with Governor Ron Desantis, Senator Lauren Book, and Lobbyist Ron DUI Book, it makes perfect sense. 3 peas in pod of delusion as long as it fills up their pockets!! 3 crooks playing 3 blind mice at others expense. Hail Hitler huh Floriduh!!
“It should say something like he is a sexual predator or something,” The low level mentality of that statement would almost make me laugh except low IQ fools like this are in charge of destroying, harassing, and persecuting people who, like me, did a single, non contact offense 15 years ago. I guess if I go to Florida my licensed should say I’m a predator “or something.” Actually, I am the “or something.” In the fifteen years since my release I have become a professional for the second time, and I am in position where I help many people learn skills and trades to be assets to society, unlike sheriff Buford T. Justice who does what he can to prevent people like me from succeeding.
“The compelled speech doctrine sets out the principle that the government cannot force an individual or group to support certain expression. Thus, the First Amendment not only limits the government from punishing a person for his speech, it also prevents the government from punishing a person for refusing to articulate, advocate, or adhere to the government’s approved messages.”
So nice to see that Florida is Anti-Constitution…
1. I thought SCOTUS said the Registry was the public’s means of finding out this info AND that they had to make an affirmative act to seek out the “mostly public” information. This is reinforcement of the fact that States have run roughshod over Smith’s already bad decision.
2. I suspect there will be a challenge using the LA SC case as persuasive support. Given the horrible and tainted “justice” system in FL, I’d file in Federal Court. Then again, appealing through the FL system to SCOTUS may be a faster track.
I find it interesting that those labeled predators get a state silhouette and sex predator text on the front of the license while others just get the FLA state code printed. Those who get predator labels should get state codes not text and a state silhouette. Maybe they should challenge that in court!
Here is what you do. Make up “ Kiss me, I’m a sex offender” bumper sticker and put it on every sheriff and police car you can find.
A Louisiana case on the “sex offender” DLs may be heard by SCOTUS. (See NYT article.)
Let’s hope they decide it’s time to open Chief Justice Robert’s can-o-worms, “Smith v. Doe”!