Source: kpbs.org 8/26/24 The California Supreme Court ruled Monday that trial courts will be required to advise defendants of the consequences of pleading guilty to crimes that could make them eligible for designation as a sexually violent predator, in a ruling stemming from a case out of El Cajon. The state’s highest court found that typically, defendants are not informed that their pleas to certain charges could result in being designated as a sexually violent predator, or SVP, which could lead to an indefinite commitment to a state hospital for…
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CA: Sacramento County DA’s Office accuses judge of creating an illegal plea deal with a man accused of grabbing five different women
Source: msn.com 8/17/24 SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A disagreement in a courtroom is spilling out into the public arena. The Sacramento County District Attorney (SCDA) is accusing a judge of creating an illegal plea deal with a man accused of grabbing five different women from behind in the Natomas area. “After five incidents of him approaching five separate women, touching their buttocks,” said Sonia Martinez-Satchell, Deputy District Attorney with the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office. The District Attorney’s office says those incidents happened in parking lots in Natomas over two months beginning in September…
Read MoreCA Alert: California Governor’s Pardon will generally NOT terminate a duty to register
Dear registrants, family members, and supporters: Many private attorneys and public defenders indicate that a pardon by the California governor will terminate your duty to register. Some attorneys charge thousands of dollars to submit pardon applications. However, California Attorney General’s Office, which is responsible for maintaining California’s sex offender registry, will NOT terminate sex offense registration following a gubernatorial pardon grant, unless the Governor makes an express finding that the grantee is factually innocent of the sex crime triggering the registration requirement. Governor Newsom has granted no pardons…
Read MoreCalifornia budget watchdog opposes prison for child-sex buyers — too expensive
Source: thecentersquare.com 8/8/24 The California Department of Finance filed formal opposition against a bill that would create stronger criminal penalties for individuals who solicit sex from children, saying imprisoning more buyers of sex from underage prostitutes would be too expensive. SB 1414, by State Sen. Shannon Grove, R-Bakersfield, originally would have made attempted or successful solicitation of sex with a minor for money a felony with a prison sentence ranging from 2 to 4 years, a fine not exceeding $25,000, and registration as a sex offender — regardless of whether…
Read MoreCA: Prostitution Surveillance Video Recording Tower Goes Up in San Diego
Source: reason.com 8/5/24 Warrantless surveillance, Comic Con “sex trafficking,” and the persistence of trafficking myths Moral panic about sex work leads to law enforcement practices that reach far beyond anyone engaged in or with erotic labor. The latest example comes from San Diego County, California, where cops are putting up a creepy surveillance tower under the auspice of stopping sex sellers and sex buyers from meeting. The prostitution surveillance tower, stationed along National City’s Roosevelt Avenue, will record video of anyone who happens to be in the area. Read the…
Read MoreCA: Registrant who ‘started 160,000 acre California wildfire by pushing his burning car into gully’ is pictured – as inferno triggers terrifying fire tornado
Source: dailymail.co.uk 7/25/24 A California sex offender has been arrested for allegedly starting a 160,000 acre wildfire – the state’s largest this year. Ronnie ____ II, 42, was caught pushing his burning car into a gulley in upper Bidwell Park near the city of Chico on Wednesday, the Butte County District Attorney’s Office announced. The vehicle then tumbled 60 feet down an embankment, sparking a fire tornado that engulfed more than 71,000 acres of northern California overnight and prompted mass evacuations. Read the full article
Read MoreChanges to be Made in Treatment for CA Registrants on Parole
Source: ACSOL The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) has agreed in writing to stop their unwritten policy that required all registrants on parole to undergo treatment the entire time they are on parole. The agreement is the result of a lawsuit filed on behalf of registrants earlier this year. “This agreement is significant because it will help almost 7,000 registrants currently on parole,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci. “This agreement will lead to early discharge for many of those registrants.” In the settlement agreement, CDCR agreed that…
Read MoreCA: Man died in San Diego jail after deputies wrongly placed him in cell with violent offender, outside review finds
Source: msn.com 7/13/24 San Diego sheriff’s deputies failed to take reasonable measures to protect a low-level sex offender when they put him in a jail cell with a high-level violent offender, the county’s civilian oversight board has ruled. The low-level sex offender, a 56-year-old man named Derek Thomas Baker who was sent to jail for failing to properly register, was beaten to death in March 2022 after he was housed alongside Patrick Ferncase, who had been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, assault with force and elder abuse. Read the…
Read MoreCA: Committee Agrees SB 1128 Won’t Be Applied Retroactively
The California Assembly Public Safety Committee today voted in favor of Senate Bill 1128 (SB 1128) that would require individuals convicted of PC 261.5, unlawful intercourse, who are at least 10 years older than their alleged victim, to register. During today’s hearing, however, the Committee agreed that the bill would not be applied to those previously convicted of this offense. According to a report given earlier this month during a meeting of the CA Sex Offender Management Board, the retroactive application of this bill could add up to 32,000 people…
Read MoreAppellate Court Rules Everyone Convicted of PC 288.2 Must Register for Life
Source: ACSOL The Third District Court of Appeals in California issued a decision today stating that every person convicted of Penal Code (PC) Section 288.2, providing harmful material to a minor, must register for life including those whose felony conviction has been reduced to a misdemeanor. The Court based its opinion on an interpretation of PC Section 17(e) which states that judges cannot remove from the registry a person convicted of that offense. “Today an appellate court made a bad decision,” stated ACSOL Executive Director Janice Bellucci. “That bad decision will…
Read MoreCA: Turlock, Stanislaus and state officials hold press conference protesting pedophile’s release
Source: modbee.com 6/21/24 At a press conference held at the Turlock Police Department on Friday, state and county officials, as well as members of the community, protested the planned release of convicted child sex offender Kevin Gray. Gray, 72, was convicted of four separate sex crimes against children age 11 and younger. However, he’s admitted that he was not prosecuted for most of his crimes — saying that he’s fondled 50 young girls and indecently exposed himself to 1,000. State Sen. Marie Alvarado-Gil, Stanislaus County District Attorney Jeff Laugero, Turlock…
Read MoreCA Action Alert: Please Call and Send Letters Opposing Senate Bill 1128 that Could Add up to 32,000 to Registry
It’s time to be heard! The Assembly Public Safety Committee will consider CA Senate Bill 1128 about two weeks from now on July 2. We need to strongly oppose this bill because it could add up to 32,000 people to the registry. Prior to the hearing, it’s important to call members of the committee as well as send letters to both committee members and the committee itself. Below is a list of committee members that includes office phone numbers and mailing addresses. Letters can also be sent to the Public…
Read MoreCA: Currently individuals convicted of PC 261.5, unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor are not required to register regardless of the age gap. SB1128 would make them register.
Source: ACSOL Up to 32,000 people could be added to the California registry if Senate Bill 1128 is enacted into law, according to the California Department of Justice. That is because the bill would require individuals convicted of Penal Code Section 261.5, unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor, to register if the age gap was 10 years or more. Currently individuals convicted of PC 261.5, unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor are not required to register regardless of the age gap. If enacted into law, the bill would be applied…
Read MoreCA: CASOMB Reports Increase in Petitions Filed, Decrease in Persons Required to Register
Source: ACSOL The California Sex Offender Management Board (CAOSMB) met today and during that meeting several reports were presented that reflected both an increase in the number of petitions filed, a decrease in the number of persons required to register and other information. Below is a chart listing those and other statistics presented during today’s meeting. Category Current Former Change Total number of registrants 104,795 104,894 -99 Registrants in violation 19,602 19,539 +63 Transient registrants 6,578 6,433 +145 Petitions filed 8,982 8,646 +336 Petitions granted 6,927 6,704 +223 Petitions denied…
Read MoreAction Alert for CA: Stop Face Surveillance/Recognition AB 1814
Source: CA ACLU [ACSOL is passing on this action alert because facial recognition can also be used against registrants. CA registrants and supporters, please take this fast and easy way to fight against this!] AB 1814 is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Do not be fooled. This bill emboldens police to expand dangerous face surveillance, while writing into law the same failed rules that played a role in the wrongful arrests of innocent people, mostly Black men. If passed, it would effectively greenlight an invasive surveillance technology that is racist,…
Read MoreCourt Grants ACSOL Motion to Intervene in CA SVP Case
Source: ACSOL A judge in California Placer County Superior Court has granted a motion filed by the Alliance for Constitutional Sex Offense Laws (ACSOL) to intervene in the case of William Stephenson who has been designated a sexually violent predator (SVP). Intervention allows ACSOL to assist Mr. Stephenson in his quest to be placed in a residence in Placer County, his county of domicile, or another location. Due in large part to opposition from the District Attorney of Placer County, Mr. Stephenson has already waited for more than 850 days…
Read MoreCA: Beware of attorneys offering applications for gubernatorial pardons
Source: ACSOL Beware of attorneys offering to submit applications for gubernatorial pardons in California based upon the promise that a pardon will remove you from the registry. The California Department of Justice recently announced that it “will not terminate the requirement to register on the basis of a gubernatorial pardon unless it includes a finding of innocence.” The announcement is reflected on the Governor’s website Any attorney promising that a pardon without a finding of innocence will terminate the requirement to register is incorrect and should not be taking your…
Read MoreCA: CDCR Agrees to Change Treatment Requirements for Registrants on Parole
Source: ACSOL The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) has agreed in writing to change treatment requirements for registrants while on parole. As a result of this agreement, the number of registrants who are discharged early from parole is expected to increase significantly. The improvements to which CDCR have agreed include the possibility of ending treatment in as little as one year. The improvements also require parole officers and treatment providers to decide after the first year of treatment and then once a year after the initial decision whether…
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