Tag: Florida

FL: Former Miami-Dade cop dead of apparent suicide days before child pornography sentencing

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Source: nbcmiami.com 11/18/25 [ACSOL comment: Another tragic and unnecessary loss] Former Miami-Dade Police Sgt. James ____ died by apparent suicide in the Federal Detention Center-Miami Monday just days before he faced a minimum 15-year sentence for producing and possessing child sexual abuse videos, his attorney has confirmed to NBC6. The attorney, Michael Catalano, said the Bureau of Prisons informed him on Monday that James was found alone in the top bunk in his cell, dead of an apparent suicide by strangulation. It is the second apparent suicide of an inmate…

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FL: ‘Missy’s Law’ filed with hopes to prohibit the release of sex offenders while awaiting sentencing

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Source: wctv.tv 11/18/25 TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – A Florida bill, intended to prohibit the release of sexual offenders on bail while they await sentencing, was filed Tuesday. “Missy’s Law,” filed by Representative Sam Greco, is named after 5-year-old Missy Mogle, who was found unresponsive at a southeast Tallahassee home in May. Since then, her mom, Chloe Spencer, and stepdad, Daniel Spencer, were both arrested after being accused of cruelly neglecting and abusing the young girl. … The legislation wrote that it would be “requiring a court to remand a person found guilty…

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FL: Florida to seek death penalty against child rapist; asks SCOTUS to reconsider execution precedent

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Source: floridaphoenix.com 11/12/25 AG Uthmeier cites accusations against nanny who recorded himself molesting at least 5 children.   While announcing that Florida will seek the death penalty for a 36-year-old nanny indicted for raping multiple young children, including a three-year-old, Attorney General James Uthmeier called on the U.S. Supreme Court Wednesday to reverse a decades-old decision declaring it unconstitutional to execute child rapists. Uthmeier stressed during a Brooksville press conference that Nathan _______, accused of videoing the rape of five children under 12 in Hernando County — with more rapes…

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FL: Registrant arrested for crossing a school parking lot (entrapment by geography)

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Source: tapinto.net and FAC 11/10/25 MELBOURNE, FL – Melbourne police arrested a 46-year-old Cocoa man Nov. 6 after officers said he was walking through the parking lot of Melbourne High School in violation of a local ordinance restricting registered sex offenders from entering certain areas. Why was the man arrested near Melbourne High School? According to an affidavit signed by Officer Emily Renken, Renken and Officer McGaha were patrolling South Babcock Street at about 9:07 p.m. when they saw a man in a black hoodie and black shorts walking through the parking lot…

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Florida action alert: Take action now to oppose HB 45 / SB 212

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Source: Florida Action Committee  [Janice’s note: Florida residents (people in other states can also take action), please take action now to stop these terrible bills] The Florida bill banning registrants from living within 1000 feet from public pools, beaches, lakes, and rivers will be taken up before the House Health Professions and Programs Subcommittee subcommittee in just under two weeks. We NEED our members to contact the legislators at the bottom of this message to express their opposition to this… Click here to take action  

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FL: Florida arrest fuels debate over dropping the term ‘child pornography’ from state law

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Source: cbs12.com 10/30/25 PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. (CBS12) — Florida lawmakers are considering whether to strike the term “child pornography” from state law — replacing it with “child sexual-abuse material,” or CSAM. The push for change comes as a South Florida man faces more than two dozen felony charges for possessing and uploading explicit videos of children — files detectives say he called his “drug.” … The language debate The arrest comes as Florida lawmakers debate how these crimes should be defined under state law. Under current statute, Smith is charged…

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FL: Florida cases seeking death penalty for child sex abuse could test precedent in Supreme Court

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Source: abajournal.com 10/30/25 Two Florida prosecutions could test the U.S. Supreme Court’s 5-4 ruling in 2008 that held that the death penalty for child rape is unconstitutional. Prosecutors in Palm Beach County, Florida, filed notice earlier this month that they intend to seek the death penalty for Josue Mendez-Sales, and his roommate, Pablo Cobon-Mendez, who are accused of repeatedly sexually abusing a 6-year-old girl, the South Florida Sun Sentinel reports in a story published by the Tampa Bay Times. And in Putnam County, Florida, prosecutors indicated in June that they will…

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FL: 181 people arrested in human trafficking operation [Registry crime prevention failure–no registrants mentioned arrested!]

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Source: tampabay28.com 10/30/25 TAMPA, Fla. — Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office arrests 181 people in human trafficking operation, including a high school instructor. Sheriff Chad Cronister held a press conference on Thursday to discuss the details of their most recent human trafficking operation. In total, 181 people were arrested, and one 17-year-old victim was rescued. Read the full article  

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FL Action Alert! Florida bill banning registrants from residing near pools, beaches, lakes, rivers

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Source: floridaactioncommittee.org 10/30/25 [Janice’s note: Florida residents, please click here to take action now] House Bill 45 and Senate Bill 212 seek to add to the 1,000 ft residency restrictions of childcare facilities, schools, parks and playgrounds by including “public swimming pools” and “public bathing places”. These residency restrictions result in 80% or more of Florida being off limits for registrant housing. Registrants who have committed one of the enumerated offenses; involving a victim under 16 years of age; and after 2004 for a Florida offense or 2010 for an…

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FL: The Parents Who Wrote Florida’s Sex Offender Laws

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Source: YouTube 10/5/25 Stacey Dooley explores the extreme sex offender laws in Florida, focusing on the controversial 2,500-foot residency restrictions. Meet offenders like Chris Dawson in Miracle Village and Brandon, forced into a Miami homeless camp, who desperately seek rehabilitation and a second chance. Their stories are juxtaposed with the unwavering stance of… Watch the video  

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FL: Putnam County passes one of Florida’s toughest sex offender ordinances after ‘Predator Camp’ outcry

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Source: Florida Action Committee re: actionnewsjax.com 9/12/25  Months after a storm of community outrage over what neighbors called a “predator camp,” Putnam County has enacted one of the strictest sex offender ordinances in the state of Florida. The controversial park at the center of it all — CCM Park on Balsam Street — once housed more than 22 registered sex offenders living in proximity. The situation sparked public concern, a series of investigative reports, and ultimately, sweeping legislative action. Action News Jax Nicholas Brooks revisited the site this week and…

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FL: Florida Supreme Court to Review “Sexual Predator” Driver’s License Labeling

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Source: Florida Action Committee 9/9/25 A case with major implications for the constitutional rights of those on the registry is now headed to the Florida Supreme Court. Attorneys for Michael Crist have filed a notice seeking review of an appellate decision that upheld Florida’s requirement that people classified as “sexual predators” have that exact phrase printed in bold letters on their driver’s licenses. Crist, who was accused in 2019 of trying to cover the label with a sticker, argued that the mandate violates the First Amendment by forcing individuals to…

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FL: Florida can keep ‘sexual predator’ marking on driver’s licenses, appeals court rules

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Source: floridapolitics.com 8/18/25 The case arose after a sexual predator was sent back to prison after his probation officer found a smiley-face sticker covering the label on his license. Florida can continue branding convicted sexual predators on their driver’s licenses. In a divided ruling, the 5th District Court of Appeal has upheld the constitutionality of requiring state-issued driver’s licenses and ID cards to have “SEXUAL PREDATOR” stamped on them if the holder has been convicted of such a crime. The ruling reverses an earlier panel’s action striking down the law as unconstitutional…

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FL: Florida Sues Huge Porn Sites Including XVideos and Bang Bros Over Age Verification Law

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Source: 404media.co 4/5/25 The state of Florida is suing some of the biggest porn platforms on the internet, accusing them of not complying with the state’s law that requires adult sites to verify that visitors are over the age of 18. The lawsuit, brought by Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, is against the companies that own popular porn platforms including XVideos, XNXX, Bang Bros and Girls Gone Wild, and the adult advertising network TrafficFactory.com. Several of these platforms are owned by companies that are based outside of the U.S. Uthmeier alleges…

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FL: Ex-CA Politician Tries to Whip Up Hysteria to Make His Registrant Neighbor Homeless

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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…

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FL: New Volusia County’s short-sighted ordinance makes it harder to track down homeless sex offenders

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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…

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FL: Florida proposes another law named after a child victim

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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…

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FL: Florida to seek death penalty for child sex offender in Putnam County for non-murder offenses

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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…

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