Tag: Florida

FL: Police Arrest Teen Accused of Helping GOP Strategist’s Underage Sex Trafficking

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Source: thedailybeast.com 8/14/21 Shortly after arresting GOP strategist Anton Lazzaro for underage sex trafficking, police say they’ve caught up with his 19-year-old associate, who now faces the same charges. Jose Pagliery Political Investigations Reporter Law enforcement in Florida has arrested Gisela Castro Medina, a 19-year-old accused of helping a wealthy, young Republican strategist in Minnesota prey on girls and recruit them for paid sex. She faces the same criminal charges as her alleged pal, GOP operative Anton Lazzaro: sex trafficking of a minor, attempt to commit sex trafficking, and obstruction…

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FL: Missing sex offender with dementia found after forgetting address while checking in for registry

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Source: fox35orlando.com 8/5/21 A sex offender who suffers from dementia was missing after forgetting his address while checking in with the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office. By Thursday morning, officials said he was found and is OK. Deputies say Dale ____, who does not have a permanent address, went to the sheriff’s office Tuesday to conduct his mandatory check-in for the sex offender registry, however, when he got there, he couldn’t remember the address where he has been staying. Deputies say they let him leave so he could find and write…

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FL: Federal judge rejects sheriff’s office’s attempt to dismiss lawsuit challenging ‘predictive policing’ program

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Source: wtsp.com 3/5/21 A federal judge rejected the Pasco County Sheriff’s motion to dismiss a case against Sheriff Chris Nocco’s Orwellian “predictive policing” program, the Institute of Justice said in a release Wednesday. In a lawsuit filed by Pasco County families back in March, Nocco was accused of punishing people “for crimes they have not committed and may never commit” – in a practice called predictive policing. Judge Steven D. Merryday issued an order denying the Pasco County sheriff’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit. “Today’s decision is an important step…

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VA: Officials address East Stone Gap residents about reported trailer park residence for people listed on the registry

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Source: timesnews.net 7/21/21 EAST STONE GAP — Wise County and state law enforcement officials told a community gathering Tuesday that state law does not have a provision for sanctuaries for people listed on the registry. The meeting of more than 100 local residents at the East Stone Gap Baptist Church’s community center brought Wise County Commonwealth’s Attorney Chuck Slemp III, Sheriff Grant Kilgore, Virginia State Police investigators and other county officials to discuss reports of a residence for people listed on the registry being located at the Imby Lane Mobile…

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Florida Lawsuit Challenges Continued Registration of Non-Residents and Deceased Persons

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Source: ACSOL A lawsuit was filed in a Florida federal district court today that challenges the continued registration of non-residents and deceased persons convicted of a sex offense.  According to the lawsuit, the Florida registry currently includes more than 28,000 people who do not live in that state as well as more than 1,300 people who are dead. The plaintiff in this lawsuit was convicted of having sex with a minor (17-year-old woman) who he later married and together they had a child.  After the couple divorced, the plaintiff was…

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FL: Martin County deputies arrest multiple people listed on the registry for altering their driver’s licenses

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[Source: wptv.com – 6/9/21] STUART, Fla. — The Martin County Sheriff’s Office is warning business owners to be on the lookout for doctored driver’s licenses when hiring potential employees. “So, on his license, apparently there is supposed to be something that states that he’s a “sexual predator” or something on his license and his has like a cigarette burn there,” said Hillary Hughes. Hughes said she recently unknowingly hired a new employee who was convicted of a sexual offense. The employee had altered his driver’s license to cover the “sexual…

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FL: Palm Coast man kills self outside courthouse before he was to be sentenced for CP

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[Source: news-journalonline.com – 6/9/21] A Palm Coast man drove to the Kim C. Hammond Justice Center in Bunnell on Tuesday morning to be sentenced to 3½ years in prison on 10 counts of possession of child pornography. But instead of walking into the courthouse, Mario ___, 47, remained in his truck and apparently shot himself to death outside the courthouse, according to a release from the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office. Mario had pleaded guilty to 10 counts of possession of child porn, which is punishable by up to 150 years in…

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FL: Flagler County adds new restrictions on where people listed on the registry can reside

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[palmcoastobserver.com – 6/8/21] The Flagler County Commission has enacted new restrictions on where people listed on the sexual offense registry may reside, increasing safety buffers around places where children are known to gather. The commission voted 5-0 in favor of the new regulations during its June 7 meeting after Sheriff Rick Staly spoke in favor of the additional limits. The county’s existing ordinance had barred people listed on the registry from residing within 1,000 feet of schools, daycare centers, parks or playgrounds. The commission’s June 7 vote adds school bus…

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FL: Civilian sex stings aim at ‘street justice’

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[yoursun.com – 6/1/21] For about as long as there have been children, … … Now some civilian groups are taking matters into their own hands. Sarasota resident Lee Bassett runs a Facebook page called Southwest Florida Exposures. … That was the first of Bassett’s online stings that resulted in an arrest. Law enforcement disapproves Despite Bassett contributing to the arrest of Allen, law enforcement generally discourages undercover civilian operations. Officers say it can detract from real justice with real consequences. … Because of a lack of legal consequences, the civilian…

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FL: DoC is Planning to Charge people in prison to Receive Mail

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Orlando Sentinel, May 29 FDC will hold a public hearing June 11 at 1 p.m. Eastern Time Officials with the Florida Department of Corrections plan to almost completely digitize mail sent to state prisons by photocopying every card, letter or picture and providing it instead electronically to incarcerated people — a change that families and prison reform advocates argue could create more hurdles for maintaining connections with people in prison, as well as add additional burdens and costs to them and their loved ones. The plan, which was announced this…

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FL: Bipartisan support is closing Florida’s sexual offender loophole

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[tampabay.com – 4/12/21] The case of a Tampa man who molested two young girls at a community pool but has not had to register as a sex offender has exposed a loophole in Florida’s law that is a concern among parents, law enforcement groups and child advocates. The Tampa Bay Times covered the story of Ray La Vel James, who was convicted of molesting the girls in 2002. James served 15 years in prison and was given a $10,000 fine. It was expected that upon his release, James would have…

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FL: Summerfield sex offender jailed after showing up a day late to register

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[villages-news.com – 4/6/21] A Summerfield sex offender spent a night in jail last week after showing up a day late for his quarterly registration update. Eric Samuel ____, 50, of 9445 SE 162nd St., was convicted in Orange County in October 1997 of sexual battery on a victim under 12 by an adult. As a result, he was required to register as a sex offender and must re-register four times a year, in the months of June, September, December and March. … On the morning of Thursday, April 1, Eric…

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Action Alert for Florida: CALL IMMEDIATELY to oppose April 6 hearing on SB 932 (Prohibits Parental Timesharing with their minor child)

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[floridaactioncommittee.org – 4/5/21] Floridians, take immediate action: email or call the senators TONIGHT or early morning before 9:30 AM Eastern on April 6. Florida Senate Bill 932 is on the Agenda to go before the Rules Committee tomorrow 04/06/21 at 9:30 am. We are calling on all members to contact the members of the Senate Rules Committee by calling and emailing them via the information below, and asking them to OPPOSE SB 932. Please remember to be polite and professional. Remember, they (absent Senator Book) were not the one introducing…

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FL: Whatever happened to the “Solicitation for Prostitution Registry”?

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[floridaactioncommittee.org – 3/29/21] in 2019, the Florida Legislature passed a Bill sponsored by Senator Lauren Book (SB 540) that was titled “Human Trafficking”. … The Bill passed and was signed into law, creating Florida Statute 943.0433, the “Solicitation for Prostitution Registry”. Individuals who committed the offense(s) on or after January 1, 2021 and are convicted (regardless of adjudication) on or after January 1, 2021 are currently being placed on the Soliciting for Prostitution Public Database. So far there are none. Read the full article and the see the empty registry…

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FL: Volusia County residents mistakenly get text alert about sex offender moving in nearby

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[clickorlando.com – 3/30/21] Text should have only been sent to certain DeLand residents Parker Lee Sharpley (Volusia County Sheriff’s Office) VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – Many Volusia County residents received a text alert Tuesday afternoon telling them that a sex offender had moved in nearby but for most of them, that wasn’t actually the case. The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office said the message about Parker Lee _____, 37, should have only been sent to those who live within 1,000 feet of his new address, which is 1450 2nd Ave. in DeLand.…

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FL: Action News Jax Investigates: Homeless sex offenders become growing Florida problem

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[actionnewsjax.com – 3/23/21] ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — Residents listed on the sex offender registry in Florida must live in certain areas, but they are not required to have a permanent address. In one case, a predator in St. Johns County was listed as living in the woods behind a Winn Dixie. The individual has since moved, according to the Sheriff’s Office post. Action News Jax dug through the registry to find at least six St. Johns offenders on the registry, including two predators, who are listed as transient. “My concern…

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