AL: Bill would prohibit sex offenders from serving as first responders

Source: aldailynews.com 8/29/24 Convicted sex offenders could not be first responders under legislation pre-filed in the Alabama Legislature. State law already prohibits sex offenders from working in schools, child care centers or other businesses that cater primarily to children.  Rep. Kerry Underwood, R-Tuscumbia, said the law needs to be amended to cover first responders, including those at volunteer fire departments. “Without (this legislation) for that particular offender, we are basically opening the door and saying, you’re a first responder, if there’s a medical need, you can go into this day…

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Alabama Court Rules Residency Restrictions Violate Constitution

Source: ACSOL A federal district ruled yesterday that a state law in Alabama that restricts where registrants may live violates the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.  The court’s ruling was made in a 162-page decision that carefully reviewed the language of that state law as well as its impact upon more than 20,000 individuals required to register. According to the court, one part of the challenged residency restrictions adversely could affect the ability of registrants to attend church, participate in political events, visit family and access public libraries.  Another…

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AL: Alabama cannot ban sex offender parents from living with kids, US judge rules

Source: reuters.com 1/11/24 Alabama only state with such a broad ban, according to judge Alabama has filed a notice of appeal Jan 11 (Reuters) – An Alabama law that bars people convicted of a sex offense involving a minor from living with a child, including their own, unconstitutionally violates the rights of parents to care for their children, a federal judge has ruled. U.S. District Judge R. Austin Huffaker in Montgomery, Alabama, in a ruling on Wednesday sided with a father who had, years before his son’s birth, been convicted…

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AL: Warning from father of teen who took his own life after being sextorted online

Source: wbrc.com 10/4/23 BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) – A grieving dad is hoping the story of his son’s loss and traumatic last few hours can be a warning to us as parents of teens, and prevent another tragedy like the one his family is now enduring. “Coming up on that one-year anniversary, it’s another day, that’s all it is, another day, but that day will be difficult, it will be hard,” says Brian Montgomery, a father whose life changed completely, and with no warning, one year ago. “It was a normal…

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AL: Cullman County man sentenced to 75 years for failure to register as sex offender

Source: cullmantribune.com 5/11/23 CULLMAN, Ala. – Cullman County Circuit Court Judge Greg Nicholas on Wednesday, May 10, 2023, sentenced David Lee ____, of Hanceville, to 75 years in prison. The sentence stems from ____’s March 1 conviction for failing to register as a sex offender with the Cullman County Sheriff’s Office in violation of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act. “As I stated after the trial our sex offender registration laws are tough for good reason and we will not only prosecute those who break them to the fullest,…

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AL: What to do if a registered sex offender moves into your neighborhood

Source: cbs42.com 5/10/23 SHELBY COUNTY, Ala. (WIAT) — What do you do if a registered sex offender moves into your neighborhood? That was a question posed to CBS42 by neighbors in Shelby County after they received a flyer in the mail from the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, alerting them that a sex offender had recently moved into the Brook Highland area. “We’re gonna make sure the community knows who you are, we’re gonna make sure the community knows where you live,” Chief Deputy Clay Hammac with the Shelby County Sheriff’s…

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AL: Years after brothers serve 20 years for rape they said they did not commit, judge tosses wrongful conviction

Source: al.com 11/8/22 Frank Meadows, Jr. may never wear sneakers again. He and his older brother Quinton Cook can laugh about it now. They can laugh about something as inconsequential as footwear and what they’ll wear to church. They can laugh about it now because of the consequential weight recently lifted from their lives when Jefferson County Circuit Judge Shanta’ Owens ruled last month that the two men were wrongfully convicted of rape in 1993, a crime the two men always declared they did not commit. A crime for which…

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AL: Sheriff’s Office: Convicted sex offender arrested for SORNA violations

Source: whnt.com 7/22/ LIMESTONE COUNTY, Ala. (WHNT) — A convicted sex offender was arrested this week after selling his home and leaving the state, according to the Limestone County Sheriff’s Office. Officials say an investigator with the Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office was alerted on June 23 that Leonard, 70, of Lester, was in violation of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).  According to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s Sex Offender Registry, Leonard is a convicted sex offender with his offense listed as second-degree rape. Read the full article…

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AL: Law enforcement praises technology for helping fight crime

Source: wbrc.com 11/15/21 Keeping the community safe now comes with the flash of a solar-powered camera. Local law enforcement praised the technology for helping them solve crimes. These days, no matter where you go, it’s likely your picture has been taken. Cities across Alabama were ramping up security, installing Flock Cameras as a part of their crime-fighting strategy. “Stolen vehicle, wanted persons, Silver alerts, Amber Alerts, registered sex offenders and other notifications like that,” Cpt. Shane Ware with the Vestavia Hill’s Police Department explained. Read the full article  

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AL: Jackson County child pornographer sentenced to 320 years in prison

Source: waaytv.com 10/20/21 A Jackson County man has been sentenced to 320 years in prison after pleading guilty to charges involving child pornography. Stephen Frederick ____, 51, on Wednesday was sentenced to 3,840 months in prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release. In August, Stephen Frederick ____pleaded guilty to 10 counts of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. He’ll also have to register as a sex offender. “The sentence handed down today ensures that this man, who stole the innocence of a young…

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AL: Gadsden person on the registry arrested for not carrying proper identification

Source: cbs42.com 6/22/21 ETOWAH COUNTY, Ala. (WIAT) — A Gadsden man was arrested during a traffic stop last week when authorities discovered he had a sex offense conviction in his past and did not meet the identification requirements under Alabama law. According to the Etowah County Sheriff’s Office, Timothy ____ was arrested during a traffic stop in the Gallant area on June 16. During the traffic stop, the deputy discovered Timothy had a sex offense conviction in his past and he was not carrying the required identification needed under Alabama…

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AL: Sex offenders at a popular Huntsville homeless camp find it difficult to relocate

[waff.com – 3/22/21] HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WAFF) – One week ago, Huntsville City and non-profit leaders announced that people living in a large homeless camp known as “tent city” would have to move. It was located on Mill Street, and was inside of the Church Street construction zone. We went to the location today and there are still a lot of tents, clothes, and personal items scattered all around the camp, where dozens of people used to live. We’re told everyone has moved, but when it comes to sex offenders, several…

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AL: Mill Street tent camp residents concerned over relocation

[whnt.com – 3/16/21] HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Several residents of a tent camp on Mill Street are expressing their concerns over the forced move to a different location. Some homeless Huntsville residents have until the end of the week to move as the city works on flood mitigation on Mill Street. While some may transition to service centers, many won’t or can’t. Instead, they will be moved to another tent camp on Derrick Street, but that presents another problem. People living at the Mill Street tent camp say there are several…

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AL: News 5 Investigates Female sex offenders

[wkrg.com – 2/17/21] MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG) — In February, two women have been arrested for sexually abusing minors. On Feb. 5, WKRG News 5 brought you the story of ______ a former Ruckel Middle School teacher charged with having a sexual relationship with a student. On Feb. 16, ______ was charged with sexually abusing a young child. Research shows women make up a small percentage of sexual predators. Research into sex offenders historically mostly focused on men. The Department of Justice reports the first articles on female sex offenders didn’t…

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AL: SPLC sues Alabama officials for overly severe sex-offender law that punishes children for life

____ ____ met ____ ____ when their mutual friends introduced them at a local skating rink. He was 14 and she was 12. Over time, the two became a young couple, going out on movie dates, hanging out with friends at each other’s houses, and attending school dances together. Eventually, the high school sweethearts got married, bought a house, and had three children. They’ve been married now for 20 years. But this otherwise happy love story has a sad twist: When Herbert was 17 and Candi was 15, her mother…

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AL: Alabama governor signs chemical castration bill into law

[cnn.com – 6/10/19] Republican Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey on Monday signed a bill into law that requires someone convicted of a sex offense against a child under the age of 13 to begin chemical castration a month before being released from custody. The law requires individuals convicted of such an offense to continue treatments until a court deems the treatment is no longer necessary. It says offenders must pay for the treatment, and they can’t be denied parole solely based on an inability to pay. “This bill is a step…

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