Month: April 2026

NY: Residency restrictions force registrants into motels, which causes complaints by homeless families

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Source: spectrumlocalnews.com 4/7/26 As New York increasingly relies on hotels to house families experiencing homelessness, a Spectrum News 1 review found in some counties those families may live next door to registered level two and level three sex offenders.  Broome County, in the Southern Tier, was found to have three hotels in such a situation. Through a Freedom of Information Law request, Spectrum News 1 used payment records from the state Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance to confirm which hotels Broome County uses as temporary housing for families. In comparing the hotel address with publicly available addresses of registered sex offenders, as of March 31, four registered sex offenders are living at the Knights Inn in Endicott.  New York…

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CA: Court Overturns Former El Cajon Teacher’s Sex Crimes Conviction

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Source: nationaltoday.com 3/30/26 Appellate panel reverses charges against Gerald Lopez, says evidence was insufficient to support child pornography conviction.   A state appellate court panel has vacated sexual misconduct charges against a former Granite Hills High School teacher, Gerald Lopez, who was accused of engaging with a minor student in 2022. The court reversed Lopez’s conviction on a child sex abuse material possession charge and a charge of child molestation, but said he can be retried for child molestation. Why it matters This case highlights the complexities around prosecuting teacher-student…

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CA: Auburn man’s decades-long child porn sentence vacated on appeal

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Source: fingerlakes1.com 4/5/26 A decades-long prison sentence for an Auburn man tied to a massive child pornography case just got wiped away on appeal, according to The Citizen. Darryl M. Overstreet, had been serving time after a 50-count indictment. An appeals court vacated his sentence last month, citing a legal error during sentencing. … Read the full article  

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FL: DeSantis tells Florida House to impeach Tallahassee judge who released sex offender on bond

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Source: floridaphoenix.com 3/31/26 Gov. Ron DeSantis is calling on the Florida House to impeach a Tallahassee judge who briefly released a sex offender onto the streets, resulting in the killing of the man’s 5-year-old stepdaughter. “To my friends in the Florida House of Representatives, I don’t think what you’ve done is enough,” DeSantis said during a Tampa press conference on Tuesday. “You have the power, and you have sufficient numbers in your chamber, to impeach this judge, Tiffany Baker-Carper. “Until you start holding these judges accountable, they are gonna continue…

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NY: Sign On to Support A More Evidence-Based Assessment Process in New York: Action Needed by April 8 @ 5pm ET

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Source: Restorative Action Alliance I’m reaching out to invite you to join RAA and its partners to sign onto a support letter asking for targeted amendment to New York legislation A8930 | S3201.  Thank you if you have already taken action and please share with others you feel might also want to support. This legislation seeks to update the process used to assign registry risk levels in New York which have been based on an unvalidated Risk Assessment Instrument (RAI) for almost 30 years. While we do not support the use of…

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Wrong Target, Wrong Tool: Why the Registry Fails to Prevent Sexual Harm

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Source: Florida Action Committee 4/2/26 The sex offender registry is supposed to keep kids safe, right? That’s the idea. In reality, across the United States the registry has grown into a massive database with nearly a million names, photos, vehicle descriptions, and an ever-growing list of details the public is expected to somehow sift through and memorize in the name of “safety.” On top of that, there are laws that restrict registrants from living near or even going to places like schools, parks, and other so-called “places where children congregate.”…

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FL: DeSantis signs Missy’s law requiring bond revocation for convicted offenders

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Source: mysuncoast.com 3/31/26 SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) – Gov. Ron DeSantis signed two Florida bills aimed at increasing penalties in child sexual abuse cases and requiring custody for certain convicted defendants before sentencing. Speaking at the Tampa Bay Regional Operational Center at FDLE, DeSantis said the laws are meant to strengthen protections for children and prevent offenders from remaining free after conviction. One of the measures, House Bill 445, is known as “Missy’s Law.” DeSantis said the bill requires judges to remand certain convicted defendants to custody pending sentencing. DeSantis tied…

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