Author: R H

NJ: Former N.J. cop facing child sex abuse charges found dead from self-inflicted wound

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Source: yahoo.com 10/28/25 A former Hamilton police officer charged with recording child sexual abuse was found dead early Tuesday in a state park in Hopewell Township, authorities said. Brian DiBiasi, 40, died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound in the southern area of Washington Crossing State Park, near the Delaware River, the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office confirmed. DiBiasi and his wife, Elizabeth DiBiasi, 43, were arrested in… Read the full article  

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VA: Virginia Court Reverses $1M Libel Judgment for School Board Chair Called “Sexual Predator/Harasser” by Activist

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Source: reason.com 10/28/25 The speaker’s comments, the Virginia Court of Appeals held, “comments constitute non-actionable opinions based on fully disclosed facts.” Eugene Volokh | 10.28.2025 3:02 PM From Pestrak v. Sawyers, decided last week by the Virginia Court of Appeals (Judge Vernida Chaney, joined by Judges Frank Friedman and Stuart Raphael): In December 2017, Petrak, who led the “Prince William Committee (PWC) for Quality Education” and had previously pursued recall efforts to oust Sawyers from his Chairman position, publicly responded to a prior 2014 comment made by Sawyers on Facebook. Sawyers had commented…

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PA: Stuck in 1995 Rally Marks 30 Years of Failed Policies

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Source: parsol.org 10/28/25 HARRISBURG, PA – October 28, 2025 – The Pennsylvania Association for Rational Sexual Offense Laws (PARSOL) Advocates gathered at the Pennsylvania Capitol Rotunda today to mark thirty years since the enactment of Pennsylvania’s Megan’s Law and to call for modernization of the state’s sexual offense laws which were signed into law by then- Governor Tom Ridge on October 21, 1995. “Our lives have changed since 1995. You’ll all recognize Microsoft’s groundbreaking system, Windows 95. But is anyone still using that? Pennsylvania’s registry laws are stuck in 1995 while everything else…

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Janice’s Journal: We Miss You!

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ACSOL conducted annual conferences from the year 2017 through the year 2024.  ACSOL chose not to conduct a conference this year for several reasons, including indirect threats of violence and deference to NARSOL’s rescheduled conference. ACSOL is happy to announce that its annual conference will return in 2026.  Why?  Because we miss you!  We miss the opportunities to network with you and to listen to what you have to say. ACSOL’s 2026 conference will be conducted in person at a hotel in Los Angeles, near the LAX airport.  The date…

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Trick-or-Treating Laws: Age Limits, Curfews, and Other Restrictions You Need to Know

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Source: nolo.com 10/24/25 Discover how some states and cities pass legislation—ranging from quirky to serious—designed to ensure a safe Halloween for all. By Ann O’Connell, Attorney  UC Berkeley School of Law Updated 10/24/2025   Halloween—the one night a year when it’s socially acceptable to dress as a monster and demand candy from strangers. But before you grab your plastic pumpkin and hit the streets, you might want to check your local laws. Across America, dozens of cities and towns have ordinances that could turn innocent trick-or-treating into a criminal offense. From age restrictions…

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Civil Commitment and the Criminalization of Homelessness

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Source: petrieflom.law.harvard.edu 10/24/25 In July, President Donald Trump issued an Executive Order titled “Ending Crime and Disorder on America’s Streets,” (the Order) to address homelessness — or what his administration called “endemic vagrancy,” disorderly behavior, and violent attacks. By encouraging states to expand civil commitment programs while dismantling initiatives such as “housing first” that provide more holistic support, the Order calls for a blunt solution to the incredibly complex issue of homelessness. Perhaps equally concerning and less publicly discussed is the Order’s quiet reference to the Sexually Violent Predator (SVP) federal program.…

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Housing

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Need some ideas on how to get housing? Over time, we will post more information here. Please comment on ideas you have had to get housing.   Residency Screening Search Engine www.safelivingsearch.com is a website designed for any person with living restrictions looking for a place to establish as a permanent or temporary address. Nationwide search feature powered by Google Maps that allows full customization to fit your needs to find a residence that complies with your local residency restrictions. With Safe Living Search, finding a place to live, stay, or…

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TX: McLennan County sheriff’s deputies arrest members of Oklahoma vigilante group that targets sex offenders

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Source: ktre.com 10/21/25 WACO, Texas (KWTX) – Three reported members of the Oklahoma Predators Prevention Group (OPP), an online vigilante group that entraps suspected sex predators, were arrested by the McLennan County Sheriff’s Office after a recent case involving a Central Texas man. Russell Goodwin, Ryan Koch and George Liebsch were all charged with unlawful restraint-exposure to substantial risk of serious bodily injury, a third-degree felony. The sheriff’s office said two of the members have “extensive criminal histories spanning several years.” The investigation began in August when the three OPP members traveled from…

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NY appeals court reverses sex offender risk ruling

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Source: nydailyrecord.com 10/20/25 A state appeals court has rescinded a lower court ruling setting the risk level of a sex offender because the prosecution never requested the determination and the judge failed to explain the basis for his ruling. In Yates County, state Supreme Court Justice Jason L. Cook, in November 2023, determined that defendant Stephanie A. Ridley was a level three risk under the state Sex Offender Registration Act. The Appellate Division of state Supreme Court, Fourth Department, unanimously reversed Cook’s finding “in the interest of justice and on…

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OH: Former Ohio public defender dies by suicide after arrest

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Source: ohiocapitaljournal.com 10/20/25 David Stebbins, a former federal public defender who played a prominent role in many Ohio death-penalty cases, died by suicide on Oct. 2, according to records in the office of Franklin County Coroner Nathaniel Overmire.  Stebbins was arrested in late September on charges of pandering child pornography, according to records at the Franklin County Clerk’s office. Stebbins, 77, had represented many clients on Ohio’s death row, and supervised more-junior public defenders doing so. According to a charging document, Stebbins in May transmitted images of a boy engaged in sexual activity. He was…

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ACSOL Online Meeting November 15, 2025

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You are invited to join ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci and President attorney Elie Miller to our next meeting.  The meeting will be held on Saturday, November 15 online on Zoom beginning at 10 a.m. Pacific time, 1:00 PM Eastern, and will last at least two hours.  You can use the Zoom app or you can call in using a Zoom phone number. There is no registration needed for this meeting. No government officials are allowed to attend the meetings. This meeting will be recorded and posted within a couple…

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Webinar: Finding Light in a Difficult Season – Coping with the Holidays (Oct 22 webinar)

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Source: restorativeactionalliance.org  As the holiday season approaches, many people face unique challenges, including feelings of isolation, loneliness, and trauma triggers. We invite you to join us for an engaging webinar featuring a panel of experienced social workers who specialize in supporting individuals navigating the complexities of the criminal legal system and survivors of harm. In this supportive space, we will explore the emotional and practical struggles associated with navigating the registry, as well as the impact of traumatic events during significant times of the year, such as celebrations, birthdays, anniversaries,…

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Responding to youth engaged in problematic sexual behavior

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Source: childhood-usa.org 2025 [page 48] Improve the response to youth who have engaged in PSB by: • Prohibiting the use of harmful assessment and management approaches—including the use of polygraph tests • Promoting evidence-based, trauma-informed treatment programs designed for youth who have engaged in PSB • Eliminating sex offender registration in all cases of children adjudicated delinquent, without exception When a child or teen has engaged in problematic sexual behavior (PSB) the first instinct might be to reach for the harshest tools—such as invasive assessments, criminal charges and sex offender…

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MI: Michigan Sex Offender Registries Performance Audit Report shows problems

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Source: audgen.michigan.gov 10/2025 [Sample information:] Inaccuracies in MSOR information for 9 (20%) of 45 samples active registrants and improper cancellation of 7 (16%) of 43 sample registrants Documentation was missing or incomplete for 4 (7%) of 60 sampled out-of-state registrants were no longer domiciled, temporarily residing, working, or attending school in Michigan  Potentially 2,742 registrants have address discrepancies Read the report  

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TX: Fort Worth Considers Tougher Sex Offender Residency Rules Near Schools And Parks

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Source: dallasexpress.com 10/16/25 [Texas residents: consider taking action with calls, letters, showing up to hearings, etc.]   Fort Worth officials are considering new residency limits that would bar certain registered sex offenders from living near schools, parks, and other child-safety zones. The proposal would bar offenders whose victims were under 17 from residing within 1,000 feet of designated areas such as playgrounds, public pools, and youth centers, according to city attorney Trey Qualls. Council member Charles Lauersdorf said he favors a stricter version. “To those currently sitting in prison who…

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ICE Agent Who Took Upskirt Photos of Flight Attendant Says It Wasn’t a Crime Because He Was Sneaky

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Source: reason.com 10/16/25 Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent Billy Olvera just wanted more cookies—or so he told an American Airlines flight attendant. Meanwhile, he used the ruse to take photos and videos of the attendant’s butt, legs, and feet. A police examination of his phone uncovered 23 photos and 20 videos of the flight attendant, who goes by A.G. in court documents. Olvera’s “clandestine video voyeurism,” as his lawyer would later describe it, took place while Olvera was on duty, working as a deportation officer transporting a detainee on a…

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CO: Colorado Child Porn Law Didn’t Ban Deepfake Porn Until Recent Amendments, Court Holds

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Source: reason.com 10/14/25 From In the Interest of Juvenile: S.G.H., decided yesterday by the Colorado Supreme Court, written by Justice Carlos A. Samour, Jr.: S.G.H., a young teenager, … is accused of using a generative-AI tool to blend authentic images of three classmates’ actual faces and clothed bodies with computer-generated images portraying naked intimate body parts to make it appear as though the classmates are nude…. Every state has laws prohibiting the nonconsensual distribution of authentic intimate images, and the federal government recently enacted a similar measure. But “few laws in the United…

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CA: Governor Signs Senate Bill 680 That Will Expand Registry

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Source: ACSOL Governor Gavin Newsom today signed Senate Bill 680 that will expand the sex offender registry starting on January 1, 2026.  That bill will require individuals convicted of Penal 261.5, unlawful intercourse, on or after that date to register.  The bill also states that individuals convicted of that offense will be assigned to Tier 1 which requires registration for at least 10 years. “While we regret that this bill has become law today, we are grateful that the original bill was amended to ensure that those previously convicted of Penal…

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