When my son Zach met a girl through an online dating app, she said she was 17 years old and lived about twenty minutes away. The two decided to meet up and had consensual sex. Zach was a typical 19-year-old studying computer science at Community College — until he found out that the girl had lied about her age and was really 14.
Though the girl admitted to lying about her age and even her parents agreed the encounter was completely consensual and that Zach didn’t do anything wrong, Zach found himself convicted of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct charges. He’ll now have to be on a sex offender registry for the next 25 years. Online Petition
By Les Anderson Elkhart, IN
Either way, the DOJ and everyone screaming about how the registry is “needed” and all those that stand to gain politically and financially are going to make sure this guy never gets his life back.
Why can’t I sign any of these petitions? I’ve tried before and the same thing it won’t go anywhere when I click on it.
When I signed the petition, there were more than 200,000 signatures added to it. Please sign your name as well. This story has gone viral and many people know and care about Zachery. We need to keep the momentum going.
Here it is everyone. Cases like the Zachary Anderson case are what can have a positive influence on exposing sex offender registry flaws and how backwards sex offense laws are in the United States. The criminal justice system does not do justice, it is a vehicle for revenge and deterrence. Except somehow new crimes continue to occur so the practice of punishment to set an example can’t be overly effective. Reactive strategies have little or no impact on long term crime reduction and prevention. Proactive steps don’t target the offenses themselves, but the breeding grounds and festering pools where paths are chosen that eventually can lead to laws being broken.
The question is not how to manage the real threats. It is why societies let real threats become threats in the first place?
Walking out of the courtroom Wednesday Lester and Amanda Anderson, Zachery’s parents, said they were “disappointed” with yet another delay. The Anderson’s talked about the major inconveniences Zach’s current probation and restrictions impose on their lives.