Source: westorlandonews.com 5/18/25 A convicted felon and registered child sexual predator was charged with voter fraud in Florida by the Attorney General. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier’s Office of Statewide Prosecution is charging Gerald ______, a convicted felon and registered sexual offender, with voter fraud. Gerald was charged with multiple counts of unqualified elector knowingly voting in the 2024 Presidential Preference Primary, 2024 Primary Election, and the 2024 General Election in Putnam County. “We must protect the sanctity and integrity of our republican form of government,” said Attorney General James…
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FL: Florida Ban on “Depict[ing] or Simulat[ing] … Lewd Conduct” in Performances Where Children Are Present Struck Down
Source: reason.com 5/13/25 A short excerpt from the long opinion today in HM Florida-ORL, LLC v. Governor, decided by Judge Robin Rosenbaum, joined by Judge Nancy Abudu: Justice Potter Stewart famously offered a non-definition of obscenity: “I know it when I see it.” Jacobellis v. Ohio (Stewart, J., concurring). Many know Justice Stewart’s quip. But it’s not, in fact, the law. The Constitution demands specificity when the state restricts speech. Requiring clarity in speech regulations shields us from the whims of government censors. And the need for clarity is especially strong when the…
Read MoreFL: ‘Not welcome here’: Clewiston passes law to keep sex offenders farther away from schools
Source: fox4now.com 4/22/25 CLEWISTON, Fla. — Clewiston passed a new ordinance to push sex offenders farther away from schools. On Monday, city council passed an ordinance requiring sex offenders to live at least 2,500 feet from schools, parks, and playgrounds. Until now, offenders only had to live 1,000 feet away – the minimum state requirement. Clewiston Police Chief Tom Lewis said the city needed to act after seeing more offenders move in – taking advantage of Clewiston’s less strict rules. He said this change brings Clewiston in line with nearby…
Read MoreFL: USF Reports Residency Restrictions Ineffective
Source: floridaactioncommittee.org 4/13/25 FAC came across the following presentation on a study from the University of South Florida, showing the effects of residency restrictions in Tampa, Florida. The conclusions were that residency restrictions have been ineffective. In fact, recidivism and the number of sexual crimes increased following their implementation. The topic is introduced at 1:09:20 and goes to 2:02:30 Read the report on the FAC website
Read MoreFL: The village of sex offenders
Source: bbc.com 3/12/25 Set among endless sugar-cane fields in a remote part of southern Florida, Restoration Destination is a community made up of registered sex offenders. Created by a Christian ministry as a response to state laws which ban them from living close to where children gather, it is now home to more than 100 men who have been placed on Florida’s sex offenders register for life. Through therapy, counselling and support, Restoration Destination aims to reduce their likelihood of reoffending and help them reintegrate into society. Journalist Conor Garrett…
Read MoreApartheid’s shadow vs. America’s Stain: which country’s sex offender registry leads on human rights?
Source: Florida Action Committee 3/20/25 On one side we have the United States – the “land of the free”, “with liberty and justice for all” and the self-appointed global moral compass. On the other side we have South Africa, a nation historically scarred by apartheid, oppression and human rights violations. Which country is showing the world what real progress looks like? In this case, South Africa, is putting the U.S. to shame when it comes to respecting human rights and insight into effective criminal justice. Earlier this year South Africa…
Read MoreFL: Scammers target sex offenders in Steuben County with fake warrant claims
Source: newportdispatch.com 3/18/25 BATH — The Steuben County Sheriff’s Office has issued a warning about scammers impersonating law enforcement officials to extort money from registered sex offenders. Sheriff Jim Allard reports that scammers are contacting registered sex offenders claiming to be members of the Steuben County Sheriff’s Office. The fraudulent callers tell victims that arrest warrants have been issued due to missed DNA submissions. The scammers then demand payment through “non-traditional means” to have the supposed warrants vacated. Officials emphasize that the Steuben County Sheriff’s Office never solicits money from…
Read MoreFL: Florida to consider statewide ‘animal abuser registry’ following Molly’s Law in Marion County
Source: wesh.com 3/9/25 MARION COUNTY, Fla. —An effort is underway to create a statewide registry of animal abusers, and it’s being championed by a woman in Marion County who led the push for a countywide abuser registry named after the pup she adopted. Molly, a dog who was found severely beaten and stabbed, would later be adopted by SPCA of Ocala President Lilly Baron. “It was just a feeling of this dog’s meant for me,” Baron said. After she adopted Molly, Baron took her on tour to various community events…
Read MoreFL: UPDATED 3/5/25 Putnam County Sheriff’s Office: ‘Cesspool of sex offenders’ cleared out of local trailer park
3/5/25 UPDATE: firstcoastnews.com “Tents housing sex offenders behind Putnam County Sheriff’s Office headquarters taken down” 3/3/25 UPDATE: actionnewsjax.com “‘It’s just rough’: Registered sex offenders in Putnam County claim to be displaced” Source: actionnewsjax.com 2/28/25 PUTNAM COUNTY, Fla. — A “cesspool of sex offenders” was cleared out of a Palatka trailer park on Friday afternoon, according to Putnam County Sheriff Gator DeLoach. On a Facebook Live, DeLoach said more than 22 convicted predators and sex offenders living in the area were cleared out. The trailer park, located at 3600 Balsam Street,…
Read MoreFL: Liking Post That Contains Porn Deepfake Can Lead to Liability, Court Says in Megan Thee Stallion Lawsuit
Source: reason.com 2/7/25 At least this is so when defendant “also … allegedly directed viewers of her post to click on her ‘Likes’ page where the video had been archived” (not clear what the judge would have thought if the case involved solely the “like”). Under Section 836.13, Florida Statutes, a plaintiff may bring a civil action against anyone who “willfully and maliciously promotes” an “altered sexual depiction” of her without her consent. The statute defines “promote” broadly, covering actions like publishing, distributing, exhibiting, or presenting the altered content. ……
Read MoreFL: Police officers continue to avoid sex offender registry
Source: wtsp.com 1/28/25 Four different charges were dropped against Markanthony ____, meaning he won’t have to register as a sex offender. A former officer with the Bartow Police Department accused of sexually exploiting teen girls has been sentenced to one year in prison, but will not have to register as a sex offender, according to court documents. Markanthony pleaded guilty to four counts of giving alcohol to someone under the age of 21, child abuse and unlawful use of a two-way communication device. However, documents revealed that the following charges…
Read MoreFL: Florida appeals court rejects ‘sex predator’ label rule for driver’s licenses
Source: clickorlando.com 1/10/25 TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – A divided appeals court Friday ruled that a state requirement for convicted sexual predators to have the words “SEXUAL PREDATOR” on their driver’s licenses violates First Amendment rights. The 2-1 decision by a panel of Florida’s 5th District Court of Appeal said the required designation is compelled speech that is not narrowly tailored to meet the state’s goals of informing the public about the presence of sexual predators. The ruling, which came in a Sumter County case, would not affect Florida’s system of publishing information…
Read MoreFL: Registered sex offender steps down as SRSO volunteer after social media blowback
Source: pnj.com 1/6/25 After much furor amongst social media community groups in Santa Rosa County, a registered sex offender who volunteered in the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office’s new Chaplain Unit has stepped down. In a since-deleted Facebook post by the SRSO, the department announced the launch of their new Chaplain Unit after Christmas. A photo included in the post shows a group of deputies and volunteers, including Charles Martin. Following the announcement, many on social media pointed out that Martin is a registered sex offender. According to the Florida Department of Law…
Read MoreFL: ‘Let Parents Decide’ What Kids Can Do Online, Argue Tech Groups in New Lawsuit
Source: reason.com 10/30/24 The groups are challenging a Florida law that bans some teens from social media. The Computer and Communications Industry Association (CCIA) and NetChoice, two prominent tech-industry trade groups, have filed a lawsuit against a Florida statute barring younger teens from social media. Their suit—filed Monday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida—cites First Amendment concerns with Florida House Bill 3, which the groups also portray as an imposition on parents’ rights. “Florida House Bill 3 is the latest attempt in a long line of…
Read MoreFL: 47 Sex Workers and 96 Clients Arrested in Florida ‘Human Trafficking’ Sting/Sham
Source: reason.com 10/21/24 Polk County, Florida, continues to be one of the worst offenders for sham efforts to combat human trafficking. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) is publicizing “Operation Autumn Sweep” as a “human trafficking operation” that netted 157 arrests, including 25 arrests of illegal immigrants. But the vast majority of those arrested are accused not of anything the average American would view as trafficking. Instead, they were allegedly either soliciting prostitution or offering to commit prostitution. After posing online as either (adult) sex workers or prospective customers, cops…
Read MoreFL: Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor reportedly arrested again on felony charge over sex offender registration violation
Source: msn.com 7/19/24 [ACSOL is posting this due to it being a well-known figure dealing with multi-state registration laws] Pro Football Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor was arrested on Wednesday on a felony charge for failing to report his residence change as a registered sex offender, according to The Athletic. Taylor, 65, turned himself into the Broward Sheriff’s Office in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Wednesday and he was released on bail on Thursday, per the report. The incident is nearly identical to a situation in 2021, when Taylor was arrested for…
Read MoreFL: Westlake City Council blocks future registrants from living there
Source: cbs12.com 7/17/24 WESTLAKE, Fla. (CBS12) — The Westlake City Council unanimously signed off on plans to enact stricter requirements on sexual predators and offenders – with one minor change. The measure is designed to protect the youngest residents of the area’s fastest-growing city and its main focus is widening the zones where predators are allowed to live, keeping them further away from children. … Under the new regulations, schools, parks, community centers, playgrounds, and “other places where children regularly congregate” would be no-go zones. The proposal originally included libraries,…
Read MoreFL: MMA fighter turns vigilante: Man busts alleged child predator at Walmart
Source: abc45.com 6/21/24 DELRAY BEACH, Fla. (CBS12) — As a professional MMA fighter, Dustin “Scrappy” Lampros spends most of his days training for the ring. But in his free time, he fights for those who can’t defend themselves: hunting down predators who prey on children. One recent case involved Nicholas _____, 43, who was recently arrested for allegedly attempting to meet a minor for illicit purposes. The incident unfolded at a Walmart in Delray Beach. “I have the time to go and do this. Also, I have the skill set…
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