UPDATED SEPTEMBER 2019: THIS SCAM IS STILL ACTIVE. PLEASE READ BELOW. Aug 4, 2018: Scammers, who often pose on the phone as law enforcement officials, are threatening registrants with arrest and demanding immediate payment of sums up to $3,000 in order to avoid jail or prison. There are reports of this occurring during the past week in at least two different cities in Los Angeles County — Upland and Lawndale. According to the reports, the scammers have told registrants that they either failed to register or registered improperly. For example,…
Read MoreCategory: California
CA: Police: Men Mistook Homeless Man for Sex Offender, Beat Him to Death
[fox40.com – 9/2/19] MODESTO — Police in Modesto say two men beat a homeless man to death with their bare hands after mistaking him for a sex offender. Those who knew him say 63-year-old Jace Decker was often found sitting on a bench in Garrison Park. “He minded his own business for the most part. He just was going through his own life struggles and different adversities,” friend Donnie Bibbs said. Acquaintances say Decker was a husband with a broken heart. “Pretty decent life and everything and, now, I think…
Read MoreCA: Appeals court grants new trial to sexually violent predator because of prosecutorial misconduct
A convicted violent sexual predator will get a new chance for controlled release from a state hospital because of prosecutorial misconduct, a state appellate court ruled this week. Full Article Decision
Read MoreCA: Committee Converts, But Does Not Approve SB 145
The CA Assembly’s Appropriations Committee today converted Senate Bill 145 into a two-year bill, but did not approve the bill as currently written. Therefore, the bill could be amended as late as September 2020. “Unfortunately, it is not a surprise that the Appropriations Committee today failed to approve Senate Bill 145,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci. “We will watch carefully to ensure that if the bill is amended, new language does not harm registrants or their families.” SB 145 was amended earlier this year in a way that could…
Read MoreCA: Senate Bill Amendment Excludes Registrants from Juries
Senate Bill 310, which would expand the number of individuals eligible to serve on a jury, was amended this week in a way that prohibits anyone convicted of a felony sex offense from that service. The bill was amended on August 26 as it was being considered by the Assembly’s Appropriations Committee. “Once again, state legislators have thrown people convicted of a sex offense under the bus,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci. “Registrants are citizens and therefore should be allowed to serve on a jury.” Significantly the bill would…
Read MoreCA Appropriations Committee to Consider Senate Bill 145
[ACSOL] The CA Assembly’s Appropriations Committee is scheduled to give final consideration to Senate Bill 145 and more than 200 additional bills on August 30. The committee hearing will be held in Room 4202 of the State Capitol at a time yet to be determined. The author of SB 145, Senator Scott Wiener, is also author to another dozen bills to be considered by the committee that day. The topics of those bills range from unlawful entry of a vehicle (SB 23) to cannabis donations (SB 34). If SB 145…
Read MoreCA: Sacramento County Office of Education Annual Adult Re-Entry Resource Fair on Oct 4
The Sacramento County Office of Education Annual Adult Re-Entry Resource Fair, hosted by the Sacramento Community Based Coalition (SCBC), will be held: Friday, October 4th 11:00am – 1:00pm Sacramento Community Based Coalition 10170 Missile Way Mather, CA 95655 The event is geared toward the formerly incarcerated population, giving them access to many of our community resources and providers, all in one location. Participating organizations will be exposed to hundreds of attendees, looking for support services, information, employment, and assistance from community organizations. We look forward to seeing you there! Includes…
Read MoreCA: City of Lompoc to Repeal Residency Restrictions
[ACSOL] The City of Lompoc, located in Santa Barbara County, is expected to finalize repeal of its residency restrictions during a City Council meeting on August 20. The City Council took the first step toward repeal on August 6. “Residency restrictions in the City of Lompoc prohibit individuals convicted of a sex offense from staying overnight for even one night,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci. “This prohibition includes staying in the home of a friend or a relative as well as hotels and motels and even camping.” Lompoc’s repeal…
Read MoreCommittee to Consider SB 145 on August 14
The Appropriations Committee of the California Assembly will consider Senate Bill 145 (SB 145) on August 14. The hearing will begin at 9 a.m. in Room 4202 of the State Capitol. “During that hearing, the Appropriations Committee will consider more than 100 bills,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci. “Because the hearing will not include public testimony, ACSOL is not requesting registrants and their supporters to attend this hearing.” The Appropriations Committee will consider the most recent version of SB 145, approved by the Public Safety Committee, which no longer…
Read MoreCA: Ordinance barring car-sleeping on L.A. residential streets quietly expires
[dailynews.com – 7/18/19] LOS ANGELES – A city ordinance barring people from sleeping in vehicles parked on residential Los Angeles streets quietly expired at the end of June, and LAPD officers have been instructed to no longer issue citations for the offense. … “This is very dangerous because the objective of this is to keep all kinds of vehicles off and away from schools and parks, where kids play, and off residents’ front curbs,” said Ryavec, who is also a community officer with the Venice Neighborhood Council. “That evaporated on…
Read MoreACSOL Meeting in Berkeley on Saturday, July 20
Please mark your calendars for ACSOL’s upcoming meeting in Berkeley: Saturday, July 20 10 a.m. Finnish Hall (upstairs meeting room) 1970 Chestnut Street Berkeley Attendance is limited to individuals required to register, family members, and friends. Media, law enforcement, parole, etc. are not allowed to attend meetings. The meetings start at 10 am and last about 2-3 hours. Topics of conversation include information about ACSOL’s advocacy as well as current topics and pending legal action. Please Show up, Stand up, and Speak up!
Read MoreCA: Organization protecting sex offenders’ rights continues statewide lawsuit campaign, sues Lompoc
An organization dedicated to protecting the rights of registered sex offenders is ion a campaign to sue cities throughout California with ordinances in place that it believes are unconstitutional. The city of Lompoc is one of the group’s most recent targets. Attorney Janice Bellucci, who is the founder and executive director of Alliance for Constitutional Sex Offense Laws, and anonymous Lompoc resident John Doe filed a lawsuit against the city in February. According to the complaint, the organization claims the city’s ordinance restricting where sex offenders can live violates state…
Read MoreACSOL ACTION ALERT! Call Assy Approp. Committee to support CA Senate Bill 145
The calls you have made so far about CA Senate Bill 145 have made a dramatic difference in blocking Residency Restrictions! Great teamwork! You also helped LGBTQ registrants from being treated unjustly. They appreciate that! Your calls also have given ACSOL a huge increase in political credibility, especially in gratitude from Senator Scott Wiener for supporting SB 145, which affects a key constituent of his. Let’s keep the momentum going! We want to finish the last two steps in getting SB 145 passed to cement our political credibility. The next…
Read MoreCA: Program lets victims confront offenders
[avpress.com – 7/9/19] SACRAMENTO— California officials are experimenting with a new diversion program for criminals that includes allowing victims to directly confront their offenders. The budget that took effect July 1 includes $5 million to fund the program for five years in a county with a history of high crime, although it has been tried elsewhere and is more frequently used with juvenile offenders. The California program is for offenders of any age. It will pair victims and offenders before they are convicted, and offenders who complete the program can…
Read MoreCA: Assembly Committee Approves Senate Bill 145
Today the Assembly’s Public Safety Committee approved a newly amended version of Senate Bill 145 (SB 145) that eliminated all references to residency restrictions. Specifically, the newly amended version eliminated Sections 5, 6 and 7 of the bill. “This is a great victory for registrants and their families who no longer need to worry that SB 145 would cause them to be homeless,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci. In the introduction of his bill, Senator Scott Wiener apologized to “everyone who could have been affected” for language in a…
Read MoreCA: City of San Diego Asserts that SB 145 Will Allow Cities to Adopt Residency Restrictions for All Registrants
[ACSOL – 7/2/19] In a motion filed today in federal district court, the City of San Diego asserted that the current language of SB 145 would allow cities to adopt new residency restrictions that apply to all registrants, not just registrants currently on parole. The City’s motion was filed in response to a motion filed last week by the plaintiffs for partial summary judgement. The plaintiffs’ motion for partial summary judgment was based upon a state appellate court ruling that limits the application of residency restrictions to registrants while they…
Read MoreEmotional Support Group is now available in Sacramento most Thursdays!
You don’t have to be stranded on an island! Help is on the way! Do you feel like you are alone and no one else knows what you are going through, and too afraid to ask? Well, that day has passed… This Emotional Support Group is for those dealing with the stigma of a sex offense and their loved ones. This is based on a 12 step meeting format that allows people to discuss the emotional toil and challenges of life on the registry. When: Most Thursdays from 6:30 to…
Read MoreCA: Number of Registrants Increases Significantly
The total number of CA residents required to register has grown to 108,128 according to a report today given by the CA Department of Justice (CA DOJ) to the CA Sex Offender Management Board. This total represents an increase of more than 4,000 people during the past six months. Of that total number, CA DOJ reported that there are 78,191 registrants who are not in custody but who are living in the community. That total number also includes 16,455 registrants who are “in violation” for failure to register as well…
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