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 Registry”.
Be VERY cautious about these opportunists who market service to registrants.
***UPDATE – THIS FIRM IS SOLICITING A $5000 RETAINER FROM REGISTRANTS, A COPY OF THE “RETAINER AGREEMENT” WAS SHARED WITH US, THE AGREEMENT DOES NOT OFFER ANY SCOPE OF LEGAL SERVICES AND IS GOVERNED BY TEXAS LAW.
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Janice Bellucci wrote about this yesterday: http://all4consolaws.org/2018/02/janices-journal-beware-of-false-prophets-and-some-lawyers-letters-too/
she said it well… if you receive one of these letters, run it past a trustworthy source.
Florida Registrants.
I appreciated Mr. Gladden returning my call. I did disconnect the call abruptly due to his increasingly aggressive tone. The more I responded directly the angrier he became. I don’t know about y’all, but I don’t like strangers or anyone yelling at me over a phone.
My Law Firm continues to recruit talent to assist us with our efforts regarding registry removal, which was the reason for reaching out to Mr. Gladden. He was referred to me by one of the Attorneys who worked on the Doe v Snyder matter. However, after further diligence of his State Bar record, I decided that he would not be a good fit as we require our Attorneys to have no ethical violations. Mr. Gladden has two.
As for our way of working, I require quality first. All of my clients have received a draft of my petition. All of my clients know their retainers go to defray the cost of a lengthy litigation. Unfortunately, I cannot pay my individual Attorneys out-of-pocket, I’ve tried. The cost was too great. So, I team up with my clients to spread the cost. We will sue the State of Florida. I will collaborate with as many Attorneys, including Florida Action Committee’s privately retained Attorneys, who themselves require a fee that Florida Action Committee is likely paying from donations or other sources.
I am up for the fight. I do believe registrants have suffered a constitutional injustice, and are due equitable relief and other recompense. In my near 20 years, I’ve faced down the Department of Justice Attorneys, the FBI, the US Postmaster General, and Federal Probation all on behalf of my clients who at the time were being falsely accused. I’ve sat in Federal Detention Centers praying with clients who were on their 3rd strike or who were facing sex charges arguing my heart out and winning. Lastly, I have been defending for all of my career why I represent a class of folk of a lesser reputation? Why do I handle criminal cases? Why do I treat sex offenders with respect? Easy, because while I’m bringing a civil Class Action, I am a true Criminal Defense Attorney who hates hearing about the poorly advised plea bargain agreements. And, I hate knowing someone never had a chance to fight their case.
I tell every client that the lawsuit will be the most significant filing. I tell them that it’s in a categories of firsts. While riding on the backs of those in the Snyder case, this feat has not been done. They are asked to join in this fight. All of my clients have direct access to me. They call me all day and night. I respond as if talking with a colleague. My clients send me articles, cases, and stories to help develop a case that affects them personally. A truly team effort.
Across my career, I’ve had to ask clients to do their best to trust me. I will hold your hand. I will explain everything possible. But don’t put me in a category with the other Attorneys who took advantage of you. Registrants are not a target for me to prey upon. I’m just trying to help. Many promise to help. Since the Michigan ruling, Pennsylvania ruling, etc etc, my team has reviewed thousands of legal pages. Reviewing the Alaska matter, Colorado, Idaho, even Illinois to name a few. Not to mention Texas. Miraculously, my team has done this since June 2017 and has produced a Complaint near ready to file in Texas Federal Court. This stuff ain’t easy folks. There have been set backs. It’s to be expected when quality matters.
As to my solicitation letter. I too had to undergo the scrutiny of the Florida Bar. They require the first sentence. They require “Advertisement.” I have a satellite office that is by appointment only as my headquarters is in Dallas. I was required to register with the City of Orlando, Orange County, and the State of Florida. So, I do exist.
I’m okay with proving myself to Florida registrants and my team looks even more forward to proving its case in Federal Court. My goal is to collaborate with Florida Attorneys who can use my team and my extended Law Clerk resource to get it filed in a few months. Quality first. All clients will receive drafts along the way.
Please note that this will be left on this page in 2 places, but it will be my last post on this site. Please feel free to contact me on my website, directly, via Facebook, or LinkedIn.
Thank you for your time.
Terence Estes-Hightower
Texas Bar 24028746
p.s. It’s tough being a girl with the name Terence. So, please call me Teri.
Ms. Estes-Hightower,
We posted your “rebuttal”, though respectfully disagree with your opinion on Richard Gladden or your assertion that you “will collaborate with… Florida Action Committee’s privately retained attorneys”. Yesterday, after we contacted you, was the first contact you had with FAC.
The Florida Action Committee has already initiated efforts in this direction through a Florida firm with extensive experience in these matters. Any separate action you may bring would be duplicitous and could potentially undermine our suit.
Further, you are not licensed to practice in Florida. The attorney you represent as your Florida associate has little (none we could find) federal constitutional/civil rights experience and has (again, nothing we could find) tried a case in Federal Court! We, as representatives of our membership, have chosen to work with attorneys who have experience and are actually licensed to practice before the court in which the action will be brought.
There is no reason to sling mud at Richard Gladden. Mr. Gladden has litigated MANY federal cases and a couple years ago was even named lawyer of the year by the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association. Similarly, there’s no reason to sling mud at you.
If you are interested in collaborating with FAC, you are welcome to contact the attorney we have retained to represent our members. The information has already been provided to you.
Ms. Estes-Hightower – please refrain from addressing your comments to “Florida Registrants.” Not all here are registrants and not all who advocate and fight for them are registrants. Personally, just that particular show of bias would preclude me from ever hiring your firm were I so inclined.
FAC
Would you please share the information related to the attorneys retained
In Florida on this matter.
Thank you
We have
Dear Ms. Hightower,
I received one of your letters. I called your office and was told: “If I want to know anything about this case we need a $5K retainer, up front; then and only then, after the receipt of the retainer will we discuss this case with you.” Thats not how it works buttercup.
YOU STATE:
” I don’t know about y’all, but I don’t like strangers or anyone yelling at me over a phone.”
Well, thats what I got when I called and talked to your people. Rude, obnoxious, and dropped the “F” Bomb.
I am sorry, but that is elusive and deceptive to say the least. Do you really expect me to fork over $5K to see public info??
So I called your office with the letter you sent me and asked “what was the suit about and what is your success rate with sex-offender issues?”
I was met with “who the f%$k are you to question how we are handling “our” case?” “If you want to find out, it will cost you 5 Grand”, and was hung-up on.
What else I find very funny, is that you KNOW that 99% of “Social Media sites” are off-limits to sex-offenders, so your statement of;
“Please note that this will be left on this page in 2 places, but it will be my last post on this site. Please feel free to contact me on my website, directly, via Facebook, or LinkedIn.”
How exactly are we supposed to contact you on these sites if we are not allowed on them??
I dont believe you have the moral right to put down, or give snide comments to FAC. They ask for NO MONEY. As far as I know, FAC gets their monies from all donations, not a $5K extortion charge.
Ms Hightower, you continue to blather on…..
“I’ve sat in Federal Detention Centers praying with clients who were on their 3rd strike or who were facing sex charges arguing my heart out and winning.”
Please let us know here at FAC WHO was facing FEDERAL SEX CHARGES and how you “WON”.?
WHAT did you win?? (a burger at McDonalds????)
IF you beat a Federal sex charge, then that would be one of your “selling points”, Or are you another Ron Book? Spouting false facts with no evidence to back it up???
Im in orange county Florida received a letter from:
ESTES HIGHTOWER PLLC
ATTORNEYS AND COUNSELORS
2707 EAST JEFFERSON ST.
ORLANDO. FL 32803
407.216.3551
Same letter promise of removal from registry.
Signed
Joseph chioupek, attorney
State bar of florida #434590
http://Www.esteshightower.com
FAC, PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS IMMEDIATELY and REPORT!
jev
Yes – this is the one!
We are calling B.S. on their claims
I just now e-mailed you the Letter I received.
Be aware its marked:
“ADVERTISEMENT” as to legally relieve themselves from any Legal Claims and Responsibilities.
Since they are using USPS this could be a Federal Crime?
Solicitation of RSO’s with intent to defraud?
Thanks
JEV
I got a letter the other day and it as a different Orlando address so after reading the comments im very worried about this firm
We continue to caution our members and advise them to not engage this firm.
I have just recievec same said letter.its a shame is there no help??? I paid my dues yet i have to keep paying rest of my life.i pay my taxes yet i cant even vote!!! System is wrong.i heard califo has no troble.with law for ten years ur off any registry..at least thars a chance..were is florida s or other states help.mike
You heard wrong about California
Thank you my son received this letter today. I did forward this to you. He has a phone interview tomorrow with them. He is on guard this will be interesteing cause he knows how MSU scams are out there just like clear my case Will keep you posted
Go ahead with the interview and monitor please. Are they asking for upfront fees? If so what for and how much? Are they making promises of Registry removal? Ask for their State Bar Numbers. Make sure you get a call back legit phone number. Under no circumstances make any kind of payment over the phone. If they ask for money tell them you cannot pay at this time. It all sounds like a scam.
I am an attorney in Texas with significant experience actually filing and litigating registrant issues including but not limited to several challenges to residency restrictions in Texas. For several months Ms. Estes (a/k/a “Estes-Hightower”)has been soliciting money from Texas registrants and, I am told, has been collecting substantial sums of money from registrants based on her promise that she will “soon” be filing an “ex post facto” challenge to Texas’ registration statute. After more than 6 months of repeated promises to file such a lawsuit, she has yet to do so. When inquiries have been made by registrants who have paid money to Ms. Estes based on a promise that they will be included as “John Doe” plaintiffs in the as yet unfiled “class action” lawsuit; Ms. Estes has, month after month, assured these registrants the lawsuit would be filed “next month.” We’re talking thousands and thousands of dollars here, and promises the lawsuit would be filed as long ago as last October, 2017.
Over this past weekend I was made aware by an Illinois attorney, who is widely recognized in this specialized area of law, that Ms. Estes has recently sought to engage attorneys in Illinois to join this “project.” I have been informed they have declined to do so, after speaking with Ms. Estes, based in part on their own concerns that Ms. Estes “project” is not legitimate. I just telephoned Ms. Estes myself in response to a message she recently left at my office. My purpose was to attempt to learn more from her about her “project.” During our very brief conversation Ms. Estes “refused” to answer when or if such a lawsuit would ever be filed, and refused to answer whether she currently has, or has ever had, any intention to file the lawsuit. Then she hung up on me. While I suspect the FBI would have some interest in this information, in the meantime I’ll leave it to registrants everywhere to read this post and exercise their own judgment should they consider whether to pay any money to Ms. Estes for any legal services.
We will be changing the title of this article to include “WARNING:”
I just got the same letter, and was told to submit 5000 for the ‘class action’ suit. Seems to me if the registration is unconstitutional (and is certainly is) then wouldn’t the results apply to all or just those who pay?
I will do more research to find someone who will help me personally.
From what I can find out, Estes-Hightower Law Firm is nothing but an over-glorified PERSONAL INJURY ATTORNEY. That is what the ENTIRE front (cover) page of her “website” is; Rules and Advice for a personal injury attorney. Yes she does list “Ex Post Facto” and a couple of other things, but the bulk of her site is personal injury attorneys.
Mr Gladden,
Ms High_tower stated,
” The more I responded directly the angrier he became. I don’t know about y’all, but I don’t like strangers or anyone yelling at me over a phone.”
But YOU said.
“During our very brief conversation Ms. Estes “refused” to answer when or if such a lawsuit would ever be filed, and refused to answer whether she currently has, or has ever had, any intention to file the lawsuit. Then she hung up on me. ”
I BELIEVE YOU SIR !
From the reception I got on the phone (complete with F-Bombs) Your version of events are more believable.
I dont care about your 2 “blips” on your resume (IF they are true at all)
ALL of us here have a couple of “blips” on our life too.
Oh my here we go again! This whole thing just continues to get out of hand – RSOs are targeted because they are easy targets. It should be as much of a crime as people trying to take advantage of the elderly…