CA: California domestic violence advocates ask Gov. Newsom to spend more on prevention programs

Source: fresnobee.com 2/14/22 A coalition of 100-plus crisis intervention agencies is once again appealing to the California Legislature and Gov. Gavin Newsom to set aside funding in next year’s budget to pay for programming found to prevent sexual and domestic violence. Although California has a budget surplus, Newsom did not set aside money for this work in his January budget proposal, something that did not sit well with coalition leaders. “Despite significant investments in policing and criminalization as a response to rising concerns about public safety, the governor’s budget ignores…

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CASOMB Issues Annual Report for 2021

Source: ACSOL The California Sex Offender Management Board (CASOMB) today issued its annual report for calendar year 2021.  The report is more than 30 pages long yet devotes less than one page to implementation of the Tiered Registry Law which became effective on January 1, 2021.  According to the report, the California Department of Justice (CA DOJ) “has diligently worked to ensure that the (agency)…is sufficiently staffed to handle the increase in terminations that result from granted petitions.”  This assertion, however, is inconsistent with the experience of registrants whose petitions…

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CA: California Senate aims to limit ‘junk science’ in courtrooms

Source: apnews.com 1/27/22 SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California lawmakers on Wednesday moved to deter the use of what a legislator called “junk science” in the courtroom and give those convicted with questionable expert testimony a way out of prison. Senators approved changing the state’s definition of false testimony to include expert court opinions based on flawed scientific research or outdated technology, or where a reasonable scientific dispute has emerged over its validity. Expert opinions that aren’t based on bona fide research, peer-reviewed studies or other science would not satisfy the…

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CA: California trans child molester, 26, gets 2 years in juvenile facility thanks to progressive DA Gascon

Source: foxnews.com 1/27/22 A Los Angeles County judge on Thursday ordered Hannah Tubbs, a transgender California woman, to serve two years in a juvenile facility after she pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a 10-year-old girl in 2014.  Before doing so, the judge criticized far-left District Attorney George Gascon, whose office declined to prosecute the repeat offender as an adult. Tubbs, 26, recently pleaded guilty to molesting the girl in a women’s bathroom eight years ago when Tubbs was two weeks away from turning 18. At the time of the crime,…

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CASOMB Reports More Registrants, Fewer Homeless Registrants

Source: ACSOL The California Sex Offender Management Board (CASOMB) reported today that the total number of registrants continues to grow despite implementation of the petitioning process under the Tiered Registry Law.  Specifically, the total number of registrants increased to 108,725 which is 365 more than reported in November 2021.  Of that total, there are 19,479 registrants who are in violation for failure to register.  The number of people in violation is 333 more than reported in November 2021.  CASOMB also reported today that the total number of registrants on parole,…

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CA: Would-be child predator caught by YouTube channel

Source: LA Times 1/19/22 Good morning, and welcome to the Essential California newsletter. It’s Wednesday, Jan. 19. I’m Justin Ray. Warning: This story discusses child abuse. An activist behind a YouTube channel based in California is catching people in the state who are trying to meet kids for lewd acts. His followers have hailed his work and praised him for keeping kids safe, while others in law enforcement and legal experts say he’s putting himself in danger and jeopardizing potential criminal cases. The channel, called CC Unit, has 137,000 subscribers.…

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Action Alert for CA: Assembly Bill Would Deny Medical Licenses to Most Registrants

California Assembly member Akilah Weber (Democrat, San Diego) has introduced a bill that, if passed, would deny a medical license to anyone required to register as a sex offender with one small exception.  The bill number is AB 1636 and it was introduced on January 12, 2022.  The small exception would apply to individuals convicted of PC 314, indecent exposure, provided that it was a misdemeanor conviction. “As currently written, this bill will prohibit every person required to register, including those who requirement to register has been terminated, from being…

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CA: Incarcerated individuals secure state job offers before leaving prison

Source: cdcr.ca.gov 12/13/21 Nearly two dozen incarcerated individuals received conditional job offers during a recent hiring event at California State Prison, Solano. The civil service workshop and hiring event for incarcerated individuals was held November 17. Twenty-three individuals received conditional job offers for employment from the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) before returning to their communities. “This hiring event is successful thanks to multiple state agencies coming together to improve the lives of others,” said CALPIA Acting General Manager Bill Davidson. “CALPIA thrives through partnerships, and it is rewarding to…

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CA: Number of Petitions Granted Continues to Grow

Source: ACSOL Contra Costa County today granted the first petition under its consideration.  The petition was submitted on behalf of a registrant convicted of PC 288(a) about 25 years ago who had successfully registered for more than 20 years.  Prior to today’s hearing, the relevant registration office determined that the registrant was eligible to submit his petition.  During today’s hearing, the District Attorney’s office stated it had no objection to the petition being granted. “Today was a great day not only for the registrant whose requirement to register has been…

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Los Angeles Courts Grant Two Petitions

Source: ACSOL Two superior courts in Los Angeles county have granted petitions submitted on behalf of two different registrants.  The first petition was granted on Nov. 5 in the San Fernando Valley court house to a registrant convicted of Penal Code section 243.4 whose tier had not yet been determined.  This registrant was represented by ACSOL President Chance Oberstein. The second petition was granted today in the downtown Los Angeles courthouse to a registrant convicted of Penal Code section 288(a) and assigned to Tier 2.  This registrant was represented by…

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CA: Santa Ana minister had child pornography that included children who were ‘weeks old,’ police say

Source: abc7.com 11/18/21 Luis ______ was ordained as a minister in 2018, but it’s unclear whether he’s actually involved in a church or place of worship. A 22-year-old Santa Ana minister has been charged with possessing thousands of images of child pornography, some of which included infants, according to police. Luis ______  was charged with five felonies, including three counts of sale or distribution of obscene matter with children engaging in sex.   According to the Santa Ana Police Department, investigators were notified of Luis ______ when they received a…

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CASOMB Reports Increased Number of Registrants, Registrants in Violation

Source: ACSOL During today’s (11/18/21) meeting of the California Sex Offender Management Board (CASOMB), the California Department of Justice (DOJ) reported that the total number of people required to register is 108,539 which reflects an increase of 377 individuals.  DOJ also reported that the number of registrants in violation for failure to register is 19,146, an increase of 330 individuals.  Finally, DOJ reported that the number of homeless registrants is 6,761 which reflects a decrease of 251 individuals.  Also during today’s CASOMB meeting, the California Department of Corrections reported that 7,171…

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CA: Bay Area rapist ordered by judge to move to this county

Source: kron4.com 11/15/21 Bonny Doon residents were in tears Monday at the Santa Cruz County courthouse when a judge approved placing a sexually violent predator on their street. Judge Syda Cogliati’s ruling allows convicted rapist Michael Cheek to move into a two-story house at 310 Wild Iris Lane. Shock spread through a packed courtroom gallery at Monday’s hearing. Cheek, 69, is originally from Concord. Cheek was convicted of multiple rapes in Contra Costa County and Santa Cruz County the 1980s. At one point, he escaped from custody and raped 15-year-old…

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Placer County Grants Registrant’s Petition for Removal from Registry

Placer County Superior Court today granted a registrant’s petition for removal from the registry.  It is believed to be the first petition granted in that court and possibly in all of northern California.  The registrant was convicted of a federal child pornography offense (18 USC 2252(a)(4)(B)) in 2004. The petition was granted after the registrant received a letter assigning him to Tier 1 under the Tiered Registry Law.  He filed a petition on his own behalf and the Placer County District Attorney did not object to that petition.  The final step…

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CA: 3 men receive 15 years to life for killing registered sex offender in Redondo Beach

Source: dailybreeze.com 10/28/21 Three men were sentenced to 15 years to life in prison after pleading no contest this week to killing a registered sex offender during a home-invasion robbery in his Redondo Beach apartment in 2017, authorities said. Taylor John Cervantes, 26, of Hawthorne, Myles Jorge Sawyer, 28, and his brother, Brandon Scott Takeo Sawyer, 27, both of Torrance, were handed their sentences immediately after entering their pleas to second-degree murder on Wednesday, Oct. 27, in Torrance Superior Court, Deputy District Attorney Shiraz Khalid said. Charges of conspiracy, burglary…

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CA: New Phone Scam Targets Local Registered Sex Offenders, Sheriff’s Office Says

Source: lostcoastoutpost.com 10/14/21 The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office has recently received reports of a phone scam targeting local PC 290 Registrants. As part of this scam, the caller claims they are from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office and tells the victim that due to “new laws”, they are now out of compliance with current PC 290 registration requirements. The scammer tells the victim that they must purchase a pre-paid debit card and make a payment over the phone to come into compliance, or face arrest. The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office…

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CA: Rancho Bernardo Community Council pushes for state to change sexually violent predator placement policy

Source: sandiegouniontribune.com 10/13/21 The Rancho Bernardo Community Council is joining several elected officials in advocating for state-level changes when it comes to placing sexually violent predators in neighborhoods. At its Oct. 7 meeting the council unanimously approved sending a letter to the San Diego City Council, state Sen. Toni Atkins, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors and California’s 57 other counties requesting an amendment to the California Welfare and Institutions Code Section 6608. The amendment the council seeks would “allow local government entities to fully participate in the process…

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