Registrants in Florida Continue to Find Relief from Double Jeopardy Under Shelley

Add Kania to the list of cases where individuals convicted of online solicitation offenses had their “associated” charges dismissed on double jeopardy grounds. Last week, the 2nd DCA threw out the “unlawful use of a two-way communications device” conviction of a defendant who was also convicted of traveling to meet a minor in 2012, finding that it was part of

Read more

New lawsuit may provide access to social media.

Sex Offender Sues Twitter Although the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that States cannot restrict a registered sex offender’s access to social media (Packingham v. North Carolina, 582 U.S. ___ (2017)), nothing has stopped social media companies, such as Facebook, from restricting sex offenders from their platforms. A lawsuit filed last week may change that! Jared Taylor is

Read more

Warning: Texas law firm solicits registrants in Florida

Scam Directed at Registered Sex Offenders We have received several emails from members advising us that they have received a letter from a law firm in Texas, Estes-Hightower, PLLC stating they “received their contact information” from the state’s Public Safety Sex Offender Registry” and to contact them to see whether they are eligible for “early removal from the Sex Offender

Read more

FAC questions Vacation Rental Bill

Florida Bill Targets Sex Offenders Renting Vacation Properties The Florida Action Committee will be circulating the following letter to all legislators in our State concerning the “Vacation Rental” bill that would impose ridiculous requirements on both registrants and owners of vacation rental properties. The bill is the result of “knee-jerk” legislation that is proposed without any planning or forethought. In

Read more

Florida bill would effectively ban sex offenders from vacation rentals.

Florida Bill Tries to Ban Sex Offenders from Vacation Rentals A new bill concerning vacation rentals, HB 773, sponsored by Rep. Mike La Rosa, R-St. Cloud, is making its way through the Florida House of Representatives. (https://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Documents/loaddoc.aspx?FileName=768073.docx&DocumentType=Amendments&BillNumber=0773&Session=2018) The bill, among other things, would require vacation rental owners to give 24-hour notice to residents who live within 1,000 feet of the

Read more

Jury gives death sentence to Donald Smith

Unintended Consequences for Florida Sexual Offenders Let’s set aside personal beliefs about the death penalty for any crime and focus solely on the conviction and punishment of Donald Smith. I am so pleased that Donald Smith is being punished for the horrible, sick things he did to Cherish Perrywinkle! I’m also so happy that he’s being punished for the horrible things

Read more