Flagler County store owner says property has become an ‘unwilling safe haven’ for sex offenders
Right off State Road 11 and County Road 304 in Flagler County sits a quiet general store. However, recently, Cody’s Corner owner Edward Corcoran says his business has become an unwilling safe haven for registered sex offenders.
Corcoran tells FOX 35 News that offenders are listing his store’s address on their probation paperwork and setting up camp in the woods on his five-acre property. He says he has never allowed these offenders to use his address, adding that the situation has become a major headache as he is even receiving mail on their behalf. “They have their probation meetings here,” Corcoran said. “The felons… offenders are placed with ankle monitors that ring as soon as they leave this property.”
Word is spreading that Cody’s Corner is the place to go. The setup seemingly meets the state’s requirement for the offenders to get out of jail, despite Corcoran never giving them the right to be there.
Discover more from Florida Action Committee (FAC)
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Codys Corner is a small, unincorporated community in Flagler County, Florida, located at the intersection of State Road 11 and Dupont Road, southwest of Bunnell. Named in 1907 by farmer Richard Cody, Sr., it was once known as Codyville and was noted for its irrigation wells in the 1950s, with much of the surrounding area now being preserve land. This is right where that general store lays. So are the probation letting them live on preserve land by chance? Just trying to dig more
A few years ago, I spoke with a reporter who was writing a story about homeless sex offenders in the Tampa area. The article focused on how many people were living under overpasses because residency restrictions and supervision requirements left them with few housing options.
As a convicted sex offender myself, I’ve seen firsthand how difficult life can be for people under strict supervision. One man I became friends with had a lease waiting for him in Orange County, where his girlfriend lived, but his request to transfer there was denied.
Before that, he had visited his mother for four days. When he was later pulled over, he was honest about where he had been. However, because the visit had not been reported correctly, he was charged with a felony violation. As a result, he was placed on Community Control and ordered to wear a GPS ankle monitor for two years.
Because he could not transfer to Orange County, he ended up living in a tent with his dog while serving his sentence. At the time I knew him, he still had a year and a half left on the monitor. Every day, he had to travel while making sure he complied with every condition of supervision, including keeping the GPS device charged. If the battery died, it could be treated as a violation and potentially lead to even more jail time.
Watching someone try to navigate life under those conditions was eye-opening. It showed how easily a mistake in reporting or compliance can lead to consequences that affect housing, family relationships, employment, and nearly every aspect of daily life.
I feel for both sides. It would seem that the registrants are trespassing if they are living on the property without permission. The registrants have been put in a bd spot because probation has told them it meets the requirements. So my biggest issue is with the probation office telling the offenders it is ok to live there and trespass. That is the root of the situation. What happens if the store/property owner complains and has everyone removed for trespassing? This does not seem to be a stable situation, not to mention living in tents.
I feel bad for both sides. The people who do not have any place to live get moved around from place to place, and if on the registry, not many places are approved. And on the flip side, the store owner shouldn’t have to have his address listed on the registry and even bring more homeless to camp around his property.
If they are not on his property not much he can do, however, if they are using his address, that is a problem for both sides. I am leaning more on the side of the store owner. If they are just coming in to buy something, no issue, but using his address can put the owner in a bullseye.
(As always, just my opinion, so others can have a different view as well)
In hernando county there is an address just like this. Few registrants are there i have helped over winter with cloths and blankets to stay warm. It meets state requirements and have heard probation officers say go there on ankle monitor get a tent and good luck. I always wondered about the owner of the property as well