In December 2020 I moved out of Florida to another state. At that time, I went to the sheriff’s office to notify them I was moving. They changed my registry, at that time, to show I had left the state.
Fast forward to last month (June 2022): For the heck of it, I decided to look myself up on the Florida registry, as I know no one is ever completely removed. To my shock, I found my registration was again active as of May 2022! Not only was it active, but it showed I was living in a home that I had not lived in since 2013, was back on probation (I was released from probation in 2018) and, the real kicker, the picture was of someone that was not me! I decided to also look at my release page from DOC, and, it too, had my DC number with another person’s picture and partially incorrect info.
I certainly don’t need to get in to how the sheriff’s department could have decided to come after me for a registry violation which would have landed me in jail until they figured out that THEY made a mistake.
Long story short, I ended up calling the number for FDLE that handles the registry for the state. I, thankfully, talked to a very helpful, professional and polite woman who apologized and explained what happened. She told me that DOC has been making data-entry errors when they are out processing inmates. Essentially, someone typed in my DC number instead of the person who was getting released.
All said, if you are not in the habit of checking how your information is appearing on the registry website, maybe you will want to make it a part of your monthly routine as I now have.
Pre-2019 paperwork wasn’t adequate for checking, and this is what landed me in jail for a failure to register, despite giving them the adequate information, and complaining from day 1 of the inadequate paperwork! Ever since than, guess what? Adequate paperwork! Go figure!
Wondering how many sex offenders didn’t know the registry existed before their crime was committed and that they could end up on the registry if they committed a sex crime?
I have to verify every 3 months in Michigan, and I always check the information on my paperwork before I sign it. There have been a couple instances where the officer put the wrong information down, and when I pointed it out, he was happy to correct it. I always keep my copy of the paperwork so I can present it to law enforcement should they ever say I didn’t verify my info. I also regularly check myself on the State Police website to make sure my information is correct. I’m not going down for something I didn’t do, so I always make sure to cover my six.
I really feel for you guys. Living over here in England, registration requirements are a national policy, so you register once and that’s it; it follows you wherever and whenever you move home, and all you have to do is register your new address within three days.
Also, we can apply to leave the register after 15 years – 8 years for juveniles. We’re not required to notify potential employers of this, unless of course we’re applying for a job working with vulnerable people.
We can live close to families, parks, schools, etc., and as time progresses, we’re visited less often by law enforcement. So, after about 10 years, they hardly come around at all.
Good to see that there is at least some common sense left somewhere in the world.
It was the common sense of the judiciary upholding the declaration of human rights treaty. This ruling came about in 2011. The UK supreme court said it was a violation of human rights to never have an opportunity to be removed.
Before you get your hopes up the United States never signed the treaty. So violating human rights here is A-OK.
And one could jokingly say registrants in Florida have an opportunity to get removed after 20 years after release from sanctions (yep tied to the duration of punishment)…oh wait that changed to 25 years as 20 years approached…no contract…might change to 35 years tomorrow.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-rights/uk-to-review-human-rights-laws-after-sex-ruling-idUSTRE71F5O520110216
If you live in the right state, you are left alone. Rent from private parties that do not have to follow a corporate policy not to rent to felons. Offer to pay a little extra to make sure you get the place. Interestingly enough, although you may have trouble renting from that large apartment building in that senior housing complex or in the hipster urban area, the easiest place to rent is in suburban neighborhoods ironically filled with children. If your state requires you to live far from a park, it will be hard to find housing, but if you do, you can count on the local children with no park to play to play in your front yard instead. In many states you aren’t allowed to live near the school where teachers and parents supervise the children. Instead, you will be forced to live near the bus stop where unsupervised latch-key children wait alone.
Roger
I have mentioned this before but your comment triggered a response. The school bus stops right in front of our house. The parents come out in their night gowns and pjs to wait for the bus to protect their kids from me.
Ironically, when they get out of school, they play unattended all day long in front of my house ?????? Something is out of place in Wonderland.
Cherokee something has been wrong in much of this registry. I live right across from a buss stop. This whole registry by internet was not thought out well. While the physical aspect can be bad enough its a hardship on all that have to spend time incarcerated or be under this ordeal. Doing justice is one thing but their is greed and vain underhand shame by those LE and they call themselves christian.
Saddles
I blame the law makers more than the police. They have to enforce the laws and yes, many do abuse us above and beyond what the registry says they can. Having said that, if Law makers, judges, and or Legislatures would do the right thing, we could move on and be productive citizens.
I saw recently on the news for every 30 officers who graduate from the police academy, 49 quit, get fired or retire. If you got rid of registry officers you would have more man power to go after people who, are “actually” committing crimes. Not ones who have the potential to based on their past decades ago.
They cannot even keep people in the registry offices anymore. It is a revolving door every time I go in there is a new person doing the registration. And you never know if you are going to get the fun and friendly type, or the Nazi war commander type.
Do they stamp your passport there with horrible things?
This is how incompetent idiots perform when they take on more than they are qualified to take on. How can anyone feel any confidence in security when people doing the job are not really qualified and are trying to support/be a part of a system that is worthless to begin with?
Capt….Similar to many other Things that other people experience….A Total break down of systems because no one has taught how to create a chain of command….zero regimentation at the governmental level….
….while the armed services has created a chain of command!
Semper Fi
Capt
Sometimes it is not a matter of training, rather a lack of care and concern. You can train someone in Master skills until the cows come home, but you cannot force them to give a Sheat.
https://www.meganslaw.ca.gov/Disclaimer.aspx
Thanks, Michael! The first item is interesting: I’d love to know “about the nature of any future crimes [I] may commit”!
It would be useful for planning purposes!
Am I going to rob a bank in the future?
Am I going to “storm the Capitol”? Maybe I’m going to sell government secrets to a foreign power??
Fascinating to consider! 🤔😄🤗
Michael, thanks for posting the link that shows there are in fact criminal penalties for any registered sex offender who accesses PUBLIC INFORMATION about themselves in California. This is outrageous!
Michael
Thanks for posting but as we thought, that only applies to California. We here in Florida are allowed and even encourage to check out our page on the registry to make sure there is not incorrect information posted.
What your state has is a blaring slap in the face. Posting negative and possible incorrect info about someone, then not allow them to access or view it for accuracy. Sounds like a lawsuit ripe for action.
F.A.C., Please confirm your recommendation to violate law as well as probation conditions.
I have been told by my P.O. as well as have read on the home page of Megan’s Law website that as a registered sex offender I am not allowed to view this site.
How am I to comply with F.A.C’s. recommendation and the law simultaneously?
You are incorrect. We NEVER recommend violating any laws or probation conditions.
Please provide a link to wherever you claim we recommended to violate law and probation conditions.
Also please provide a link to the “homepage of Megan’s Law website” that says “as a registered sex offender [you] are not allowed to view this site.”
Your comment would ordinarily be moderated out, but we felt the need to correct you.
All it says is that registrants can’t use the CA Megan’s Law website to conduct searches.
Not to worry, there’s nothing that says registrants can’t view FAC’s website (except those who are internet-restricted).
It may be simply a reading comprehension problem.
You could have a friend or family member visit the website and printout your information.
In which case, YOU did NOT visit the website – a non-registrant friend or family member DID. 👍🏻
Michael
When you are on probation, you pretty much have to do what the P.O tells you to do unless it is something illegal or immoral. Even when I was on house arrest, I got to go to church, go to work, go to doctors, go to store, use the internet.
Not sure why they would have an issue with you being on F.A.C as this sites helps you stay informed. I would outright ask why you are not allowed to go on a site that helps registered folks have a voice in the legal jungle of confusion.
Has something changed? I thought it was illegal for people ON The Registry to VIEW The Registry?
That asked, my conviction and incarceration were in Florida and, thanks to FDLE, my Registry information has ALWAYS been incorrect (physical description very different from me). I have informed them numerous times – no one cares and it has never been fixed*. Yes, these are the same law enforcement personnel who INSIST the Registry is crucially important for public safety! 🙄 (Really???….despite all the inaccuracies, wrong addresses, wrong charges, wrong physical descriptions?? I would say “Not very useful for public safety.”😒)
So, tell me – convincingly – that it’s not JUST about the money!! 😡
*Now, if questioned, I always state that “All the information that I have provided is accurate.”
(I cannot say “Yes, the paperwork is accurate”, because I cannot be responsible for FDLE’s careless and uncorrected mistakes! I can only vouch for the information that I have provided.)
P. S.: I moved from Florida 20+ years ago. I don’t think they even have the correct info on the FL Registry website about which State I live in …. despite living here for all those 20+ years!
Unless lawmakers threatened to eliminate their previous Registry and de-fund all the tax-funded horsesh*t that comes with it, FDLE has no incentive whatsoever to make any corrections. After all, who cares?? 🤷🏻♂️
David
I am not informed of any site that registered people “Off of probation” are legally not allowed to access. Now there are sites who ban us like nextdoor and others but I have never been told I cannot access any sites.
On the other hand, there are sites I do not go on like Facebook etc because then you have to register them. I suppose that is because then law enforcement notifies that site a sex offender is among their subscribers, then you get banned.
Again not sure how that is not punishment since we are not on probation but have to comply with probation like, police enforced, compliance which could result in being arrested and sentenced.
No other citizens in the U.S can be arrested for not telling someone your address, or registering a new scar.
I am seriously thinking of somehow sneaking over to Ukraine and joining the war effort, where I have a better chance of winning than I do against the registry Mafia.
@ CherokeeJack: The first page of Florida’s Registry states that registrants may not view the website.
That said, you could have a friend or family member visit the website and printout your information.
In which case, YOU did NOT visit the website – a non-registrant friend or family member DID. 👍🏻
That is not true. Where do you see that?
This is the first page of Florida’s registry: https://offender.fdle.state.fl.us/offender/sops/home.jsf
Please point out what we’re missing.
I could almost believe that the system would not want registrants to visit the registry website. Otherwise, how can they lie about a registrant and not be caught? I’ve gone to the website a couple of times over the years with no problems.
The only state that has it in their statutes that registrants can’t view registry info, including their own, is California.
Why is anyone who left the state concerned that the information is incorrect? What benefit do you get by having your information as correct. IMO, the registry would be a much better system for us if everything on it was incorrect. I don’t think they are going to chase anyone down if the information is incorrect, in fact, it might even make it more difficult to track someone down.
David
I just spent 30 minutes on there and saw nothing about it being illegal for us to view the registry. I clicked through every page and link they offered and saw not a single reference to what you said. Also, it says the page is offered as a public record and I/you/we are the public as well.
In fact that would make zero sense, as we need to check our page occasional to make sure they did not report false information. Mine has some errors on it but last time I challenged them, it cost me $1000 to get it fixed with a lawyer, and it made it worse, not better.
If it was illegal to view the registry as a registered person, I think 90% of us would be locked up already.
I dont see anything on FDLE offender page that states that! In fact if you scroll down it has messages for Offenders on how to update the info in the Cyber system.
The information posted by David was incorrect. I think he was talking about California but did not specify that at first.
This is happening ALOT. I have seen several people on here accused of not registering when they did and that is why I save every copy since WWII of my registrations.
If a server makes a mistake on your food order, they can re-make it. If law enforcement makes a mistake on your paperwork / registration, you could end up in prison and face untold thousands of dollars straightening it all out. And even if it is all finally fixed, you might have that extra arrest record that stays in the paperwork regardless of it was an error.
I went through this about 15 years ago. I noticed my registry page had very very wrong info. A lawyer got it fixed for me but when they fixed it, they added new charges to my page that are untrue. The lawyer told me to quit while I was ahead as the FDLE plays games that you can’t win. 🙁
So since then, I have wrong info on my page causing me to register 4 times a year instead of the two I always have had.
Hi,
when I go to register at Hillsborough they never give me a copy of the registration. Is that normal or they must give me one. Guys I have an idea why there is not a whatsup group for registrant and family where we can connect anytime? that will help a lot .. it is easy to create a whatsup group and have a couple of administrators. what do you think..
thanks
Johandy
When I use to register in Seminole county, they never gave me paperwork either. But that was way back in 1997. You can ask for some sort of proof you registered. I think it is odd to NOT get proof. How easy would it be for someone to not be able to prove they registered by a liar-liar pants on fire Sheriff.
Makes no sense that some registered folks are not getting paperwork proof. No , actually it’s insane. That leaves you with zero defense. Unsettling to say the least.
@Cherokee, I’m concerned that, next summer, when my 25 yr registration period required by the feds is over, will I need to be able to prove it to them? Since I didn’t get any registration receipts from Florida back in the early days, I’ll have to depend on FDLE to vouch for me if the feds challenge me. This is important, as I may move to Maryland, a state that won’t require me to register. I’d want to be sure to be legally off the books with both the feds and the state of Maryland.
Fired from McDonalds ??!!!
Get a government job.
Moved away from FL in September, the sheriff’s office sent my information to the wrong county in my new state and still had me listed on probation even though I had mine terminated. Like Cherokee, I have all my paperwork. Sheriff here just shook their head.
BWJ
I do not for a second believe all this “magical paperwork” disappearance is a coincidence. I mean, yes, people make mistakes, however, there is something in it for law enforcement if we get sent back to prison. Satisfaction that another “Pervert” is sent away.
And it is happening far too often to many of us. A recent post by a commentor on here stated law enforcement came to his house and said he did not register and guess they were there to arrest him. He promptly went inside and got the hard copy of date in question, and they let him go. Sadly, where I register, I would have been arrested anyway, and my paperwork would float off into the all powerful shredder in the sky. Pieces of it would be air dropped into the Cuba jungle.
I was afraid that Florida would drive me crazy and suicidal. Even once I informed the sheriff’s office that I was leaving, I received some really nasty attitude. In short, if I wasn’t gone by the date that I said I was, it would be a violation. I was leaving on a Friday night. Sheriff’s office is closed over the weekend, everyone can guess the rest. Funny thing is, in my new state while a sheriff’s deputy does monthly residency checks, they’ve been nothing but stop and wave at me. I feel blessed.
BWJ
I only get two visits a year. BUT, I never know when he will show up. If I am not home he places a yellow “SEX offender” sticker on my front door. Plus I do not have to notify neighbors but they are nosy and always ask why the cops keep coming to my house. Now it doesn’t matter because nextdoor notifies EVERYBODY in a Square mile of my house.
I have asked the Deputy to please block his cell phone # and call me to see if I am home to make it easier for him and me to not play hide and seek. He said he cannot do that and needs to find me home and “Off guard” to prove I really live there. Really? If I was going to run I would have done it 31 years ago when I was arrested.
Cherokee
I’ve wondered about that. I am off supervision, but what if my wife go out of town or we head into the big city, small town, country life, and I’m not here. I wonder how long I have before they try not to violate me
Although I have heard of people getting arrested for not being home at any of their checks, I would like to see the statue that says you have X amount of times not being home before they can arrest you. If we are NOT on probation, the word “Violated” cannot even apply to us.
The statue states they have to verify our address, it does not say you can be arrested for not being home. I try and give them ways to get me and home and they say it has to be random. So I tell him, I tried being nice and HELP you find me home but that is not good enough. He is really pissing me off at this point.
Once my Mom told him “MY son is taking a Poop, do you want to wait or come back”? LOL Gotta love Moms.
I’ve heard of the arrests, too. Interestingly, though, the Florida statute (943.0435) tells me that I can re-register normally while at my permanent address, and then begin to travel the state (or other states) without establishing any kind of “residence” anywhere, and then return months later to my permanent address for several days to do my semi-annual re-registration again. That’s exactly what the law says. Yet, any cop would tell me otherwise.
I’ve tried both. Neither are likely to hire a registrant.
@ Lori: But wait – I actually DO work for the government…. and I’m here to help. 😂
(Sorry, we love to say that!! Yes, I actually DO work for a faraway County in a faraway State.)