Source: wamc.org 7/23/25 There’s turmoil on the Woodstock Town Board as lawmakers grapple with how to handle the town’s hiring of a Level 3 sex offender earlier this year. In an explosive meeting that put Supervisor Bill McKenna on the defensive, members of the board voted to fire the employee Tuesday night. A warning to listeners that this story discusses sexual assault. Members of the Town Board say McKenna didn’t tell them that 31-year-old Michael Innello was a Level 3 sex offender when they voted to hire him for a…
Read MoreCategory: Non-California State
The Registry Paradox: Why Ending Sex Offense Registries Could Make Us Safer
Source: Nebraskans Unafraid 7/22/25 For decades, sex offense registries have stood as a seemingly unshakeable pillar of public safety. The logic is intuitive: track people convicted of certain offenses, make their presence known, and communities will be safer. Yet, a growing body of research suggests that this widely accepted strategy is not only largely ineffective in preventing new crimes but may, in fact, be counterproductive, creating a false sense of security while imposing immense, often debilitating, burdens on individuals. It’s time to critically examine whether these registries truly serve their intended…
Read MoreN.J. court just made it harder for sex offenders to get off Megan’s Law registry
Source: nj.com 7/7/25 The New Jersey Appellate Division issued a ruling clarifying that sex offenders must prove they pose no threat to public safety—not just that they’re unlikely to reoffend sexually. A New Jersey appeals court has ruled that individuals seeking removal from the state’s sex offender registry must prove they are not a danger to the public in any way, not just that they are unlikely to commit another sex crime. The ruling, which sets a new legal precedent in New Jersey, stems from two cases involving men convicted of…
Read MoreIA: Protestors Defend Vigilante Murderer of Registrant
Source: wndu.com 7/2/25 GOSHEN, Ind. (WNDU) – Protestors rallied outside of the Elkhart County Courthouse in downtown Goshen on Wednesday afternoon to call for stricter penalties for child sex offenders and show their support for a man who is charged with murdering a sex offender last week at an Elkhart motel. 35-year-old Nicholas Stanley is accused of killing 35-year-old Allen Cogswell back on June 24 at the Daylite Inn on Cassopolis Street. … Protestors also held up signs that said things like, “Free Nic” and “Nick Stanley Doesn’t Deserve Jail.” Read the full…
Read MoreFL: Ex-CA Politician Tries to Whip Up Hysteria to Make His Registrant Neighbor Homeless
Source: sjcitizen.com 6/18/25 Brian Pepin, a father of three and former member of the Poway City Council in California, publicly called for stricter sex offender residency restrictions during Tuesday’s St. Johns County Board of Commissioners meeting. Now a political consultant, Pepin recently moved to St. Augustine with his family and said that a registered sex offender moved directly across the street from their home. He shared the emotional impact this has had on his family during the public comment period. “Last week we learned that the guy that moved in across…
Read MoreNE: A Better Way Forward: Smarter Public Safety Investments for Douglas County
Source: Nebraskans Unafraid Douglas County Sheriff Aaron Hanson’s recent announcement of a new “investigator” position tasked with verifying the addresses of people on Nebraska’s sex offender registry might make headlines, but it won’t make our communities safer. It’s an initiative based on optics rather than outcomes, intended to project action, not produce impact. Instead of allocating taxpayer-funded resources toward a symbolic gesture with no measurable public safety benefits, the sheriff’s office could be focusing on evidence-based strategies that truly prevent crime, protect vulnerable populations, and build community trust. Below are several alternatives that deserve…
Read MoreIA: Man accused of killing sex offender after he was released from prison
Source: azfamily.com 6/26/25 ELKHART, Ind. (WNDU/Gray News) – An Indiana man has been charged with murder after investigators say he shot and killed a sex offender who had recently been released from prison. Nicholas Stanley, 35, is accused of killing 35-year-old Allen Cogswell early Tuesday morning at the Daylite Inn on Cassopolis Street. According to The Goshen News, police confirmed that Cogswell was a sex offender who had been released from prison in May. Court records stated that Stanley is related to a victim in that case. … Stanley is currently being held…
Read MoreIL: New Joliet Park Created to Force 11 Sexual Offenders To Vacate ‘Pedophile Palace’ On Cora Street
Source: msn.com 6/26/25 JOLIET, IL — Three years after concerned citizens of Joliet raised awareness regarding the opening of a two-story apartment building in the Cunningham Neighborhood to provide shelter for several mostly out of town registered sexual predators and convicted offenders, efforts by the city of Joliet to get rid of the so-called “Pedophile Palace” are finally coming to fruition. This week, for the first time, Joliet’s new Cunningham Neighborhood Park is being built, thanks to a generous donation of free labor and materials by Allied Landscaping of Joliet. John…
Read MoreTX: US Supreme Court backs Texas online porn age-check law
Source: tech.yahoo.com 6/27/25 WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Friday against challengers to a Texas law that requires pornographic websites to verify the age of users in an effort to protect minors after the adult entertainment industry argued that the measure violates the free speech rights of adults. The justices, in a 6-3 ruling authored by conservative Justice Clarence Thomas, upheld a lower court’s decision allowing enforcement of the Republican-led state’s age-checking mandate. The law likely does not violate the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment safeguard against government abridgment…
Read MoreFL: New Volusia County’s short-sighted ordinance makes it harder to track down homeless sex offenders
Source: wesh.com 6/25/25 VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. —A new ordinance in Volusia County has resulted in an increase among the homeless sex offender and predator population on the streets. Deputies aren’t just checking on suspects, they’re surprising convicted sex offenders. However, the deputies don’t know where to look if the offenders are homeless and not showing up for check-ins. Nearly 1,000 offenders live in the county, and they’re subject to strict laws and quarterly compliance checks. If they’re homeless, they have to check in more frequently. Brandon Goggin with the Volusia…
Read MoreWA: Feds seek to block WA law requiring clergy to report child abuse
Source: washingtonstatestandard.com 6/23/25 Washington bishops sued last month to prevent the law from taking effect. Now, the Trump administration is looking to back their lawsuit. The Trump Administration moved Monday to join a legal fight to overturn a new Washington law requiring religious leaders to report child abuse or neglect even when it is disclosed in confession. A motion filed in federal court by the Department of Justice argues the law, which takes effect next month, is unconstitutional because it “deprives Catholic priests of their fundamental right to freely exercise their religious…
Read MoreFL: Florida proposes another law named after a child victim
Source: thecapitolist.com 6/24/25 Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier on Tuesday announced that he will propose legislation aimed at eliminating judicial discretion in cases involving convicted sexual offenders and violent criminals who remain free on bond following a guilty verdict. … Uthmeier said the measure would require mandatory revocation of bail immediately upon a guilty verdict in cases involving sexual offenses, sexual predators, or violent crimes, preventing judges from permitting post-verdict release. The Attorney General blamed the court’s decision to allow Spencer to remain free for enabling the crime and said the incident…
Read MoreFL: Florida to seek death penalty for child sex offender in Putnam County for non-murder offenses
Source: firstcoastnews.com 6/20/25 PUTNAM COUNTY, Fla. — The State of Florida announced Friday it is seeking the death penalty for a registered sex offender accused of more child sex crimes in Putnam County. According to a May 16 post by the sheriff’s office, Welaka resident Dimeco _____, 34, was already a registered sex offender when he was accused in April of sex crimes with two children in Putnam County. Putnam County detectives were notified on April 30 of Dimeco ‘s possible sex crimes against the two children. Detectives spoke…
Read MoreTN: “Unlawful Photography” law to take effect on July 1st
Source: wbbjtv.com 6/18/25 Unlawful Photography: House Bill 99 by Bulso: The new law enhances the penalty for unlawful photography from a Class A misdemeanor offense to a Class E felony. The penalty would increase further to a Class D felony or Class C felony in certain cases if the victim was younger than 13. Anyone convicted of unlawful photography would also be required to register as a sex offender. Read this online [Note: you must scroll far down to “Unlawful Photography: House Bill 99 by Bulso”, and it is very…
Read MoreMI: Sex offender registry update passes state Senate
Source: wemu.org 6/18/25 The Michigan Senate voted Tuesday to update the state’s sex offender registry laws to comply with a recent federal court ruling. The decision blocked increased reporting requirements for people convicted before new, tougher laws took effect. The court also declared unconstitutional a provision that allowed the state police to decide if an out-of-state crime warranted reporting. Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks (D-Grand Rapids) said that part created a loophole for out-of-state offenders. Read the full article
Read MoreNY: Registered sex offender’s arrest raises concerns over New York’s registry flaws
Source: cnycentral.com 6/13/25 … In New York, sex offenders are classified from Level 1 (low risk) to Level 3 (high risk) based on a point system. However, Ahern pointed out that the system’s inability to accurately predict human behavior is a significant flaw. Read the full article
Read MoreMO: Kehoe signs into law Missouri bill voiding NDAs in child sex abuse cases
Source: missouriindependent.com 6/10/25 Legislation to void non-disclosure agreements in child sexual abuse cases was signed into law Tuesday by Gov. Mike Kehoe. The bill has been called “Trey’s Law,” referring to the late Trey Carlock, who died by suicide in 2019 after being sexually abused by Pete Newman at the Branson-based Kanakuk Kamps. Trey’s sister, Elizabeth Carlock, said at a hearing on the bill in February that he had to agree to an NDA as a condition of his settlement with the camp. “Trey told someone just before his death that ‘they’ll always…
Read MoreOK: Sex offenders are a factor in homeless initiatives, city police say
Source: swoknews.com 6/10/25 Sex offenders pose a unique set of problems for those advocating for the homeless. Det. Donald Pauley, who oversees Lawton’s Sex and Violent Offender Registry, explained Lawton Police Department’s existing policies for sex offenders and the registry, as members of the City Council’s Homeless Action Committee continue to weigh decisions about homeless issues. That includes locations that can be created as outdoor camping areas for homeless people who no longer are allowed to camp overnight in public places such as in city parks or on city sidewalks.…
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