Member Submission: My First Experience Traveling as a Sex Offender
Part 1 Volusia County Florida
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This is a recollection of my first travel outside of my state (Florida) to Chicago suburbs for a family event.
I went to the VCSO in Volusia county and asked them what I needed to do to travel to another state. The Response from the woman behind the glass said. Come in at least 48 hours in advance, tell us where you are going and when you will return. [FAC NOTE: THE LAW SAYS ‘WITHIN 48 HOURS’ NOT ‘AT LEAST 48 HOURS’ THERE’S A DIFFERENCE]
I made all my reservations and went back in before my travel.This time they wanted way more information than they had specified in my first visit.
In addition to where and when I was traveling and when I would return they wanted exact address of where I would be staying, mode of travel (plane), flight numbers and flight times. Luckily I had a ll the paperwork with me. The required a complete Iteniary of my travel.
Flights, airline, depart and return dates and times
Hotel address
The only thing that was never asked for was info about the rental car. [FAC NOTE: THE LAW SAYS ‘“Vehicles owned” means any motor vehicle as defined in s. 320.01, which is registered, coregistered, leased, titled, or rented by a sexual predator or sexual offender; a rented vehicle that a sexual predator or sexual offender is authorized to drive; or a vehicle for which a sexual predator or sexual offender is insured as a driver. The term also includes any motor vehicle as defined in s. 320.01, which is registered, coregistered, leased, titled, or rented by a person or persons residing at a sexual predator’s or sexual offender’s permanent residence for 5 or more consecutive days.”]
I gave the the name of the county in Illinois that I would be staying in and the name of the town as well, Dupage County, Village of Itasca. They said when I get there I should register with the local Sheriff.
I asked the Woman behind the glass what I needed to do when I returned to Florida. I asked “do I need to check in to the VCSO office when I Return”, she said no, and subsequently gave me a business card with and 386-248-1788 number and stated, just call this number and let us know.
When I Returned to Florida, I did call that number, got a voice message and left my name and stated that I had returned from travel. That was on Friday after 5pm. I never did receive any kind of verification that they had receivd the info that I had returned. That issue kind of dwelled on me during the next week, so I decided to go into the VCSO office to make sure it was recorded that I had returned. The Woman behind the glass stated that there was no mention in my record that I had returned. She then summoned an officer “Lee” and asked him about it. I could not see him but he said “sometimes when the voice messages are cleared they are just deleted”. I asked him what I should do in the future, he stated that “I was doing exactly the right thing”. But noted that he is retiring in a few months.
He gave me the names of two officers who would be handling this activity in the future.
Part 2 Itasca Village in DuPage County Illinois.
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I arrived at the Chicago airport on Friday and checked into my hotel. It was snowing, it was 4 degrees outside and traffic had slowed to less than 10 mph, and the temps were in the single digits. I decided to travel to the DuPage SO early the next morning (Saturday). I was not sure that they would be open but went there, about 25 miles from where I was staying in Itasca. When I got there, there was a red phone in the main office and I stated that I wanted to register. The Woman behind the glass slid a form to me and stated that they wee closed on Saturday and that I wold have to come back on Monday. I went back on Monday and the officer I spoke with barraged me with questions like “who told you to come here”, and who were you in touch with and the big reveal, he stated since I am staying in Itasca, I should register there with the Itasca Police Department.
I then went to the Itasca Police station on Monday evening and told them I was a traveling registered offender an I was there to register. The officer didn’t really know what to do and took me to an area to be fingerprinted and found a form to be filled out. The form said nothing about travelers and it seemed to be just a regular registration form, nothing about traveling from another state, so he checked “initial Registration”. In the stuff I had previously found online it said that traveling to Illinois for more than 5 days I would need to register. By this time I had 4 days left to be there. I filled out the form and I did get a copy. I returned to my Hotel and withing 60 minutes the same officer knocked on my door and when I opened the door, he stated that he was checking to see if I was at the address given on the form. That was my last contact with the County of DuPage or the Village of Itasca.
Summary
My Travel dates were Jan 17 2010 to Jan 24 2020.
Why is it that I feel that the Sheriffs office and the Police department as well only give you enough information to say that they answered my question. The documentation that they, VCSO, had attached to the form regarding regarding the regular check in visits is tremendously confusing, perhaps that is on purpose. This was my first experience traveling out of state in the 5 years that I was eligible to travel. Not only from the local office but in the web information of what is required at the traveling “TO” location.
I also asked about what about if I do a road trip in a car or on motorcycle, she stated that I would have to list each stopping place before I leave.
I would love to travel more, I am retired. It is untrue if anyone states that the registration is NOT punishment.
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I was born in Florida and my aging parents still live there. I have been out of state for my whole adult life and am now on my state’s registry. Still can’t travel for 1.5 more years due to supervision, but for years have been thinking about my inability to travel to Florida to visit parents. They are in upper 70s and may need help before long. I haven’t told them that I refuse to come back and be put on the Florida registry for life. I will be off my state’s registry in 10 or 15 years and refuse to be on any state registry for life. How do I communicate this to my parents. Sure, I can come to Florida for less than 48 hours, then quickly go to Georgia. I guess I can just not stay in the same county for more than 48 hours? Anyone have strategies that work? Thanks
One thing i forgot to mention was that the VCSO woman behind the glass said i had to change my PERMANENT address to the address of the hotel in Itasca, then change it back when i returned. This sent of many alarms cause, what if they to let re reregister to my home address when I return?
seems that there is no clear distinction between Permanent address and Temporary address. Why would I have to change my Drivers License id to an address in Illinois.
Totally looney policies driven by politicians who are out of touch with reality and don’t give a damn about the safety of anyone except themselves.
Good Day…..Travel Nightmare with the US Customs Border Patrol….
So, where I reside, I must go through Customs and Immigration, even though it is part of the US….
The other day, when being processed, was told by a CBP Official that there is a new screening process..’Please follow me’..so I went to an office and filled out a Custom’s Declaration Form, something that no other Traveler has to do….I filled it out and was summoned to a room wherein they did a complete search of my property..during the search a Male and Female Officer was present…the Female Officer harassed me, asked me questions that has nothing to do with my travel-she went out of her ROLE, she slandered me and created LIES in HER OWN MIND etc…she down right INVENTED her OWN DISBELIEFS..she tried to INVENT NEW RULES AND STIPULATIONS….I have contacted an attorney and will ask a Federal Magistrate to REMOVE HER QUALIFIED IMMUNITY so I CAN SUE HER IN CIVIL COURT….This SHIT MUST STOP….SHE HAS AND HAD NO RIGHT TO BE-LITTLE ME…also, Karma is a bitch as where I reside is a small space and, well, I know her kinfolk and will apply pressure on that end as well…
make it a great day in DA ‘HOOD!
I get that all the time just driving around town doing chores. Many police departments now have license plate readers. I get pulled over and given a BS story like I ran a stop sign about 100 miles back and they just caught up with me.
Real story is they just want to violate a registered person who is not on any probation. I always keep my cool and try and talk law enforcement language with them. As soon as they learn I know my stuff, they usually give me a warning and let me go.
MOSTLY happens when passing through very small towns with a small police department so I avoid those at all cost. The worst is Windermere which is home to numerous millionaires. I was going to the library there because they had a movie no one else had.
Upon talking to the librarian, she told me she is afraid to leave work each day as one of the officers pulls her over about twice a week and asks her out on a date. I told her to report it to the sheriff’s office ( Since the chief of police would cover it up ) but she is even afraid to do that so you can imagine how I was treated when I got pulled over. The literally have signs all over the city stating ” residential streets and parks are for RESIDENTS ONLY”.
Not sure if you are in to editing but here are a couple of typos.
“My Travel dates were Jan 17 2010 to Jan 24 2020.”
“I also asked about what about if I do a road trip”
As to the confusion. It’s intentional. They do it so they can pick you up and imprison you at any time for any technical violation. For example the phone message, they will say “its your responsability to prove you left the message” or “its your responsibility to register your rental”.
This is a total violation of “Innoccent until proven guilty” but lets face it. This is no longer Constitutional America. How about the right to Travel FREELY about the country?
They will usually arrest you on these technical violations when they have a political agenda maybe even a personal grudge. No one will defend you so they have the right to bully you. Even if they are caught, they will get a slap on the wrist and you will still be prosecuted to the fullest.
There are a few good judges out there that do look at the facts and not at the accused and what they were accused of.
I have seen a few post on here by F.A.C where someone around the country was arrested for a B.S registry violation and the judge agreed that the rules were so confusing and vague that the judge themselves could not even make heads or tails of them.
HOWEVER, you still lose because of the cost of the lawyer.