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 grew up in a Navy family and spent 29 years in the Navy myself. Never did packing a suitcase and staying somewhere 3+ days constitute a change of address/residence. Such rules are ‘lame-brain’ requirements by politicians who want to feel like they are serving the public. Our founding politicians must be rolling over in their graves.
I am Permanent 100% Service Connected with PTSD.
Where is ROD STERLING creator of the TWILIGHT ZONE TV SHOW when I/we need him, for my traveling experience on the registry, he could do a TV show about it!
First you wont’ believe it, but I am well known in the REFORM MOVEMENT- if this was all BS they would all shoot me down!
If ROD STERLING were to do a twilight zone TV show about my experience on the registry here is how he would describe me
A bazaar story of a man with 2 lives-identity in the real world it is MR Jones,in cyber space MR Studebaker due to a law that said he had to give all his Online user-pass word to enforcement- so he became the car he drives name/identity online.
He is called a sex offender but he had no victim-touched know one- he is on the sex offender registry, but his picture is not on the Megan’s law public profile web site- he is on the sex offender registry but not on it, MR Jones has started up his old 1964 Studebaker- has driven it into :THE TWILIGHT ZONE:
My TWILIGHT ZONE EXPERIENCE TRAVELING AS A REGISTERED AMERICAN
On 9-5-07 I was convicted in California for indecent exposure in public while in a drunken stupor/Aka public urination//>>>> lewd act in public.-under CA law I was mandated to register on the S,O.R
Here is where the travel weirdness begins, I am a snow bird, I either go to Alaska or Michigan where family lives for spring summer-fall-head back to California for the winter-live on a 40 ft sail boat anchored in the bay.
On 4-1-2013 I went to the police department- said I was going to Michigan they instructed me when I got to Michigan to immediately register/NO PROB I SAID
When I went into the police station in Michigan- when they saw what I was on the registry for in CA. THEY STARTED LAUGHING MORE CALIFORNIA INSANITY handed me my S.O.F registrations papers back- told me my offense is not a felony- not a S.O.F registrarable offense in Michigan
I asked can you put this in writing-they did-handed me a copy of the law where the Michigan supreme court ruled public urination is
not a crime,WHY, SAVE THE CHILDREN PROSECUTORS-JUDGES were loading the Michigan S.O.R up with drug public pee pee” ers
Went to DMV GOT RID OF MY CA ID-got a MICHIGAN ID- did everything under the sun to be a MICHIGANDER/YES
90 days later the house is surrounded by US marshals they arrests me for not registering seems CALIFORNIA-.S.O.R.NA GOT SHIT face cuz I did not register in Michigan -sent the dogs out to find me?
The judge after reviewing every thing said, MR Jones your free to go, your a Michigan resident- under our laws you have not committed any crimes-your offense in CA is not a crime-or a registrantable offense in Michigan
what I found out was sex laws were like gun laws they are different in every state
VIVA WEIRD LAS VEGAS
Please be made aware that when ever you check into a hotel the police check your ID- I am in a hotel room in Vegas- the door gets kicked open freeze police put your hands up- I GET HAND CUFFED -taken to jail, my charge not registering as a S.O.F in VEGAS,
I hand the detective the business card of the US Marshal who arrested me in Mich- the paper from the Michigan State police stating I am not a sex offender in Michigan
I told the detective you need to speak with the US Marshal who arrested me for the same thing you are arresting me for-he will tell you what will happen if you try to try me for not registering, if it goes to court, no more Mr Nice guy I am going to sue the city for false arrest!
24 hours in jail later I am released- the detective says we are gonna list you under twilight zone-enjoy Vegas-please get that ball-chain cut you still have to you in CALIFORNIA CUT OFF
THE TWILIGHT ZONE CALIFORNIA WARRANT
Please be made aware the when you are driving on a public road, the police cars are utilizing a new high tech license plate scanners that can scan check out 8000 plates a day if you got a warrant no Insurance- suspended driver license stolen car?
If so the scanners flashes a red light on the dash- the cop does a bat turn- with red lights-sirens flashing pulls you over
Well California still had me listed as a S.O.F in CA,
THEY WERE STILL SHIT FACED -COULDN’T TAKE A JOKE I WAS LEGALLY OFF OF THEIR S.O,R- BY LEAVING THEIR GOLDEN STATE THEY COULD NOT MAKE MONEY ON ME.BOO HOO FOR THEM.
There were times I would get pulled over by cop if I was a few states away from CA/Oregon- Wash State-Nevada by cops with inquiring mind wanting to know what was going on, my license plate was Michigan- I was not on the registry but I was in CA- was I registered in their state, after a lot of explaining -showing papers-documents the cop would say your in a twinight zone. TELL ME ABOUT
RUN SILENT RUN DEEP
Not wanting to have police kick in my hotel door with guns drawn-tired of being pulled over by cops with inquiring minds, I bought a vehicle in CANADA with Canadian license plates-made it into a stealth camper- NO MORE PROBLEMS WITH POLICE /HAHAAHAHAHAH
Ya think I am making this up, well if your ever in Salem Oregon give a shout out to the early founder of the S.O.R Reform movement- the great one- my hero-mentor Tom Madison -ask him is Mr Jones driving a stealth camper with Canadian license plates?
THE BLUEST SKY’S YOU EVER SAW ARE NOT IN SEATTLE
I love Seattle -planed on staying a year there, when I moved there as a Michigan resident- non S.O.F I went to the ACLU WHICH IS STRONG AS DEATH you can actually walk in-request to see a legal advisor- if it has merit they will help you, I explained to them my situation- ask them would they accompany me to the police station so I could get clearance of not having to register as a S.O.F in Wash State?
LETS PARTY SEATTLE
Me- 2 others-[Tom-Ann]from the ACLU all go into the police station-I explain my situation-show my papers-documents- to the detective[Harry] he says I would still have to register-Ann says from what State/ Harry says CA- me I am a Michigander- not on Michigan S.O.R- no longer a CA resident, Harry says well your still on the registry
This went back -forth for about 30 minutes I stood up put my hands in front of Harry-said I am not going to register arrest me now- Tom-Ann put on the biggest grin I HAVE EVER SAW- WERE SMILING -SHAKING THERE HEADS TO EACH OTHER, Harry got spooked- said let me get back with you, Tom said NO you get back with me- never heard from Harry again?
READY TO FIGHT THE BIG BAD CALIFORNIA S.O.R WOLF
When Janice Bellucie mandated-commanded the CA.legislatures to end the life time registry for S.O.F- they be allowed to petition the courts to get off of it in CA,a few years back-not to mention her making new A holes for CA cities over their insane city ordinances against S.O.F ,for some reason, I could never figure out how CA. Gov Jerry Brown could sign this into law in 2018- it does not take affect till 1-12021?
My guess is the state makes big money off of those on the registry- wanted to keep this cash cow alive as long as they could, cuz a lot of people were going to be getting off of it INCLUDING ME!!
When the new law was signed in 2018- I came out of the twilight zone, went to Santa Barbara CA. Bought a 35 ft sail boat- then went to the sheriffs office to register, and said I am moving back to CA to get off of the CA. S.O.R when I explained every thing, he gave me a thumbs up, I have to register as a transient cuz my boat is anchored in the bay, I am classified as high class homeless/lol.
DUEL AT HIGH NOON
The sheriff said I will have to exchange my Michigan ID for a CA ID, I said hey I am just a silly Michigan tourist- living on boat in the bay does not qualify me as a resident, as long as I have my Michigan ID I can step out of CA- I am not on the S.O.R- if it gets to technical, I will just go back to Michigan long enough turn around and come back again as a silly Michigan tourist living on a boat- hey I have to be here 1-2021 to get off of the registry
Retrospect
I fought hard for reform- considered my self a battle hardened advocate for reform- change-getting rid of this evil registry, I think some of my advocacy may have back fired?
Before I did the Michigan magic trick of getting off the Registry, I was living in San Diego-moved to Tijuana Mexico- was registered as out of the country-crossed over ever day to work in San Diego, this caught on big time with S.O.F- who were doing this from CA. ARZ.-NM.-TEX.-now we have Megan’s International law
Then me- Tom Madison- Vicky Henry- Derek Logue and friends went down to Tallahassee FL- had big fun in front of the Capitol- all blew out before the 5 day registry requirements now it’s 3 days in most states-48 hours in Los Vegas Nevada
Can’t verify this, but when S.O.F started living on big boats- just sailing away- being registered as in terminal transit on the high seas-along the American coast this maybe why Interpol got involved tracking S.O.F
EVERY BODY KEEP UP THE GOOD FIGHT- SUPPORT GAIL WITH SOME CASH
side note feel free to correct any misspelled words
Dude, can I buy some of whatever you’re on?
The guy speaks the truth just with more flare and creativity than most people. Willy Wonka, The Wizard of Oz, Doctor Doolittle and many others were all geniuses but were accused of being crazy.
Although all made up characters, some writer created their persona for a reason. And no I am not dropping acid, I am just a fellow creative soul, who just shows it in other aspects of life and understand clearly what the above poster is trying to convey through his prose and a touch of pizzazz.
For those with multiple homes and multiple workplaces, there is freedom of just notifying your home state when you plan to go to your second home. The states in-between can be lodged at for 3 to 5 days at a time depending on the state since they only require notification if staying for 3 or 5 days depending on the state. Just notify your home state when you return. Life is simpler in the Midwest and East Coast!
This is the only federal statute I could find
18 U.S. Code § 2250.Failure to register
U.S. Code
(a)In General.—Whoever—
(1)is required to register under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act;
(2)
(A)is a sex offender as defined for the purposes of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act by reason of a conviction under Federal law (including the Uniform Code of Military Justice), the law of the District of Columbia, Indian tribal law, or the law of any territory or possession of the United States; or
(B)travels in interstate or foreign commerce, or enters or leaves, or resides in, Indian country; and
(3)knowingly fails to register or update a registration as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act;
shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 10 years, or both.
(b)International Travel Reporting Violations.—Whoever—
(1)is required to register under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (42 U.S.C. 16901 et seq.); [1]
(2)knowingly fails to provide information required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act relating to intended travel in foreign commerce; and
(3)engages or attempts to engage in the intended travel in foreign commerce;
shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 10 years, or both.
So I take this to mean that IF you fail to register (with a state or tribal govt) THEN you have violated federal law.
Am I missing something? Is so, where is the federal statute that I am missing?
Sorry to be so insistent, but I think we all need as much education (and clarity) as possible.
Thanks!
I drove from Georgia to Arizona last weekend, heading back tomorrow. I asked my PO if I had to report to the PO in Arizona when I arrived and was told no; just present my travel permit when I register. But I wasn’t required to register in Arizona. They only register visitors staying for more than 10 days. Not sure how that’ll play out when I get back.
I am in another county in Florida (not stating the name because I don’t want this coming back on them and then somehow they start asking for more info) and I travel out of state a lot. When I go in to register they see me coming and even joke that I must be going on a trip.
When I go out of town I go in there 48 hours before I leave and give them the mode of transportation (air/car/rental/etc) and the relevant info pertaining to that. They also want the first stop on my trip, the address, county, phone, etc. But if I am going to multiple places they don’t ask for the info on the other addresses. Then they tell me to check the requirements to check in at that state I am going to and tell me that being I gave them a fixed end date of my trip I don’t need to check back in.
I’m doing a Germany trip in a few months, wondering how that is going to go.
I will be back there in June, July, and August.
I traveled to Germany with family when I was still working and had no issue entering. However, that was in 2012, a lot has changed since then. Did not renew my passport due to lack of $$ and new regulations.
I use to travel once a year out of the country just so I could experience a week of freedom every year. Only time I had any issues even back then was on the return trip which was always a nightmare and missed all of my connecting flights at my own expense due to TSA jerks who have ZERO law enforcement powers and cannot arrest you but can detain you and make your life miserable. Glorified Government security guards who let their power go to their heads.