Source: keloland.com 12/2/24 SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — A jury found Michael ______ guilty in September of 2020. Monday a judge heard arguments for and against a lighter sentence. Investigators found more than a million images on Michael’s phone and computer hard drive in 2018. A jury decided 15 of them were child pornography. A different judge sentenced him to 10 years with six years suspended. That was four years ago, which means Michael could be out of Mike Durfee State prison but according to today’s testimony the Department of…
Read MoreCategory: General News
SORNA Case Advances in Federal Court; PLF Files Motion for Summary Judgment
The Pacific Legal Foundation (PLF) filed a motion for summary judgment on November 18 in its pending case that challenges current federal SORNA regulations. The U.S. Department of Justice is required to file its opposing brief to this motion no later than December 23. The PLF will have a final opportunity to support its motion in a response due no later than January 24, 2025. A hearing on the motion is scheduled to be held on March 10, 2025. In its motion, the PLF argued that the SORNA regulations are…
Read MoreFL:What’s behind the recent uptick in local child predator arrests?
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (CBS12) — This week, we have seen an alarming number of child predators arrested. Is that because there are more cases out there, or is law enforcement getting better at catching these criminals? Indian River County Sheriff Eric Flowers credits that success largely to social media sites and app developers, that are helping to weed out bad actors. “A lot of these platforms have really complied, not just with our requests for subpoenas, but really been somewhat voluntary with us,” he told CBS12 News. “These companies have…
Read MoreACSOL CA Good News Alert: Senate Bill 1128 Stopped in Committee Hearing
CA Senate Bill 1128 was stopped today during a hearing conducted by the Assembly’s Appropriations Committee. The committee did not provide a reason for stopping the bill, but it has been reported that strong opposition to the bill by ACSOL and its leaders was an important part of that decision. “ACSOL thanks every person who showed up at the committee hearing on July 2, who sent a letter to the committee and who called committee members,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci. “You made a difference by showing up,…
Read MoreACSOL Online Meeting August 17, 2024
You are invited to join ACSOL Executive Director and civil rights attorney Janice Bellucci and an ACSOL board member for our next meeting. The meeting will be held on Saturday August 17 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. Within…
Read MoreFlorida City to Consider Significant Increase Residency Restrictions
The City of Westlake, Florida, is scheduled to consider tomorrow a significant increase in its residency restrictions from 1,000 feet to 2,500 feet. If the city ordinance is adopted, most individuals convicted of a sex offense involving a minor who is 15 years or younger would be prohibited from living near schools, libraries, day care centers, parks, playgrounds, community centers, day camps or any other place where children regularly congregate. “The city ordinance under consideration would violate state law if it is adopted,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci. “That…
Read MoreCA Democrats ‘Water Down’ Sex Trafficking Bill. Good. The original version was overly punitive.
By: ELIZABETH NOLAN BROWN California Democrats are taking heat for “water[ing] down” a “child sex trafficking bill.” But—as anyone whose brain isn’t completely broken by politics might imagine—this isn’t a case of lawmakers trying to make life easy for people who abuse and exploit children. They’re just trying to insert a smidge of sanity into the bill’s punishment schemes. The scorn with which this has been met underscores how hard it is for legislators to push back against policies that are purportedly about protecting children. The Bill The measure in question—Senate Bill…
Read MoreRead the responses from convicted police officers and their agencies
A Washington Post investigation found hundreds of police officers have sexually exploited kids. The Washington Post obtained thousands of court filings, police records and other documents to report on law enforcement officers accused of crimes involving child sexual abuse. Read the findings of our investigation, Abused by the Badge. Information about some of the officers, including whom they worked for, what they were convicted of and any comments they provided, appear in this key. The Post tried to contact them and the lawyers who represented them in their criminal cases.…
Read MoreFilming your front porch without a warrant is now fair game for the feds
Source: qz.com 3/20/24 A federal court says privacy rights are diminished due to the proliferation of video cameras throughout society Law enforcement in Kansas recorded the front of a man’s home for 68 days straight, 15 hours a day, and obtained evidence to prove him guilty on 16 charges. The officers did not have a search warrant, using a camera on a pole positioned across the street to capture Bruce Hay’s home. A federal court ruled on Tuesday that it was fine for law enforcement to do so, in what’s…
Read MoreFL: North Lauderdale Man Who Transported Child Pornography Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison
Source: justice.gov 4/19/24 MIAMI – On March 14, a North Lauderdale man, who is a registered sex offender, and who was convicted of transportation of over 620 electronic images and videos depicting the sexual exploitation of children, was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge K. Michael Moore, who sits in Miami. Jason Hemans, 40, arrived at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport from Jamaica on August 18, 2023. Due to Hemans being a registered sex offender, United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers conducted an…
Read MoreD.C. Vigil Educates U. S. Supreme Court, Public – Smith v. Doe Must Go!
A vigil was held on Friday, March 15, near the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court to educate both the Court and the public regarding significant harms that have resulted from Smith V. Doe, a decision issued by that court in 2003. Speakers at the vigil included civil rights attorney Janice Bellucci of California, David Garlock of Pennsylvania, Danell Puglisi-Knutson of Florida, Shawna Baldwin of Arizona and Christopher Sparks of Florida. The vigil was live streamed using Zoom technology and a recording of the vigil will be available soon on…
Read MoreLobby Day Date Changed to March 6
The date for Lobby Day 2024 has changed from Tuesday, March 5, to Wednesday, March 6. The location and schedule remain the same which means that Lobby Day training will be held at the Hyatt Hotel, 1209 L Street in Sacramento starting at 9 a.m. Meetings with legislators or their staff will begin at 1 p.m. and a reception will be held at 5 p.m. “It was necessary to change the date for Lobby Day due to lack of available hotel rooms on the night of March 4,” stated ACSOL…
Read MoreMO: Missouri has a sex offender registry. Could it have a murderer registry next? [Audio]
Source: missourinet.com 12/29/23 Missouri has a sex offender registry. Alisa Nelson talks to Representative Lane Roberts, of Joplin, who wants to expand the registry to include convicted murderers. Listen to the audio (may not work on all browsers)
Read MoreU.S. Sentencing Commission Seeks Comment On Proposals Addressing The Impact Of Acquitted Conduct, Youthful Convictions, And Other Issues
WASHINGTON, D.C. ― Today the U.S. Sentencing Commission voted to seek comment on several proposals that would, among other things, limit the federal courts’ consideration of acquitted conduct and youthful convictions under the federal sentencing guidelines. The bipartisan Commission voted today to publish for public comment several options to address the use of acquitted conduct for sentencing purposes. The proposed amendment comes after the Commission took up the issue during last year’s abbreviated amendment cycle but determined that more time and public comment was needed before promulgating amendments. The U.S. Supreme Court…
Read MoreFL: V.M. Ybor residents get little help with sex offender problem
Source: wfla.com 12/1/23 TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — The residents of V.M. Ybor have been coming to Tampa City Council for years to ask that something be done about a high concentration of convicted sex offenders living in their neighborhood. On Thursday, the city council held a workshop to talk about the issue, but the results were not what residents were hoping for. “Would that make any of you feel safe having 72 of these harmful individuals living within a quarter mile of your house?” V.M. Ybor resident Kelly Grimsdale asked…
Read MoreCASOMB Approves Tiered Registry Law Recommendations
The California Sex Offender Management Board (CASOMB) today formally approved several recommended changes to the Tiered Registry Law. The changes include (1) reduction from Tier 3 to Tier 1 for those convicted of felony possession of child pornography and (2) reduction from Tier 3 to Tier 2 for those convicted of lewd or lascivious acts with a 14 or 15 year old. In addition, CASOMB approved reduction from Tier 3 to Tier 2 for those convicted of three offenses involving communications with a minor – PC 288.2, PC 288.3 and…
Read MoreCO: Colorado Supreme Court to scrutinize parole requirements for juvenile sex offenders
Source: 11/10/23 The Colorado Supreme Court has agreed to answer whether the state law authorizing indefinite, potentially lifetime sentences for sex offenses makes room for the special considerations that must be given to juveniles who are tried as adults. In a rare move, the court accepted the question not through the usual appeals process, but following a request from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit, based in Denver. Colorado’s justices only agree once or twice per year to decide an issue referred to them by the federal…
Read MoreBrief Opposing AG Attempt to Block TRO Has Been Filed
Updated 10/30: The 8th circuit upholds TRO! Click here to read the good news Click here to read Janice’s Journal about this Original article: A brief opposing an attempt by the Attorney General (AG) of Missouri to block a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) issued last week by a federal district court has been filed. The 8th Circuit Court of Appeals is expected to issue a decision later today regarding whether to overturn the TRO. The brief filed today on behalf of plaintiff Thomas Sanderson outlines several…
Read More