NIMBY on Display: Former politician not happy about new neighbor, so he tries to change laws to displace him.
Brian Pepin, a former California Councilmember and political consultant, recently took to the podium at a St. Johns County (Florida) Commission meeting to advocate for stricter sex offender residency restrictions. His reason? A man convicted of possessing child pornography in 2007 moved across the street from his house. That man has served his time, been off supervision for over a decade, and, from all appearances, has done nothing wrong—except exist.
Pepin’s remarks make one thing painfully clear: this isn’t about protecting children. It’s about Not In My Backyard (NIMBY) panic wrapped in emotional appeals and political theater.
The man across the street committed his crime nearly two decades ago. He served prison time, completed supervised release, and has lived without incident since. According to every tenet of our justice system, he has paid his debt to society. Yet to Pepin, this man’s mere presence is enough to justify reshaping local law. There is no allegation that this individual has done anything threatening or illegal. No lurking. No inappropriate behavior. Nothing beyond setting up a Ring doorbell camera on his own house—a common device used by millions of homeowners for security.
But because of who he is, because of the label he carries, that camera becomes a sinister surveillance tool in the eyes of a neighbor. His existence becomes a threat. His address becomes a problem.
Residency restrictions are a political reflex, not a public safety solution. Over 25 years of research—including studies from the U.S. Department of Justice—show that residency restrictions do not reduce recidivism. What does reduce reoffending? Housing. Employment. Support. Stability.
We get that Mr. Pepin doesn’t want the stigma of a neighbor on the registry any more than his neighbor likes being registered. But NIMBY cannot be the basis for policy. The law must be grounded in fact, data, and justice—not public shaming, moral panic, or the politics of exclusion.
The man across the street has done everything the system asked of him. He has followed the law. And now, the message he’s receiving is: “That’s still not good enough.” What’s happening here is not about public safety. It’s about creating a class of untouchables—people who, no matter what they do or how long ago they did it, can never be neighbors, citizens, or humans again. That is persecution.
If you want to post a comment on the source article you can find it here.
Discover more from Florida Action Committee
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Good luck francine
Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Directs Repeal of Regulations That Are Unlawful Under 10 Recent Supreme Court Decisions
The White House
It’s time Mr President to repeal SORNA. The constitution demands it.
Its civil intent has lost its integrity. It’s now punishment and punitive.
Let’s take the money and move it into the big beautiful bill. Billions put into action. Build a god damn better train travel system. Repair an aging infrastructure. Kick the trades back in gear. Get people back to work.
I demand a pardon from this list. Too many success stories retroactively forced to reregister want to work and be successful.
@Paul let me off
In my opinion (And sure others would concur) The registry was punishment on “DAY ONE”. But to expand on that, especially for those of us who had it applied retroactively. At least those who committed a sex crime knowing damn well there was a registry, should have known better.
But to make it more complicated, would I have not committed my crime if there was a registry when I committed it? I do not honestly know the answer to that. And since there is a registry now and people are still taking chances, maybe that answers the question. So that gives more evidence that the registry is not a deterrent and is just a money and job maker.
The registry did not cure me but prison sure as Hell did. Was that not enough that I did my time and never committed another crime since? Time machines people, we need lots of them. Imagine the changes to the World we could make.
I think we should all write the White House and tell them how we are affected by the registry. Maybe someone will listen. We have nothing to lose except a stamp.
As a Kindly Reminder, Pepin is from California; like Newsome-Hells Bells!
People in California live in a Separate World from other Americans
61% income tax rate if you earn over $100K….a shack in LA costs $100K
Well they got In-n-OUT burgers
My goodness. Fear is so exhausting and expensive. Everyone in the same neighborhood as a PFR can overcome this fear by simply using another emotion, courage. Courage to go talk to the person; and evaluate the content of their character themselves. It’s simple enough, and saves time and energy.
You may gain something or maybe you won’t. But you will overcome your fear of said PFR.
As I recommend to all…invite your neighbors; do a cook out; illustrate that you are not a BEAST
-my next door neighbor is a former Law Enforcement Officer of 30 years; we garden together; she is a Hoot
The Other Neighbor oversees The Superior Court Here; Judges, DOJ vehicles etc visit the neighborhood; we always say hello and they shake my hand-no fist bumps
-they like my Red mangos
BAN the sex offender registry!!
Brian Pepin moved to floriDUH yet illegally voted for his replacement back in Poway CA. He will fit right in down in the land of ‘Duh.