For someone who probably should not have been prosecuted in the first place, Zach Anderson is certainly continuing to get a raw deal from the system.
Now 22, when Zach was 19 he had sex with someone he met on line who claimed she was 17. Turns out she was only 14. Even though she admitted to lying about her age, Zach was sentenced to jail time, probation and 25 years on Michigan’s sex offender registry.
Following much public outrage and a legal challenge, that sentence was vacated and Zach wound up getting his name removed from the registry. Still, probation conditions are nearly impossible to comply with and recently Zach was alleged to have committed a violation for having “incidental contact” with two people who were under 18. Incidental contact meant he and another happened to be at the same place at the same time, regardless of the fact that it was at his home and at church.
Friday, the Andersons were hoping that the Judge would terminate Zach’s probation six months early, but no luck. The Judge denied the request and Zach will remain on probation until six months.
Unfortunately, when dealing with a system that does not try to support successful re-entry, but instead sets up traps to try to put people back into jail, six months off from wrangling a compliance obstacle course would have been meaningful.
Most aren’t lucky enough to have the funds/family resources to get the legal fight that Zack did. HELP THEM TOO!!!
https://www.change.org/p/governor-snyder-allow-romeo-juliet-convictions-to-apply-to-expunge-their-records-in-michigan/c?source_location=petition_show
I know that Zach is HYTA but that does NOT truly erase (it only seals) He should apply for a PARDON. The governor tends to approve petitions right before leaving office. It takes a few months to pend so this is the time to do so. That wouldn’t just seal his record the way HYTA does but FULLY ERASE it (including all stored biometric data) and if still on probation would remove him from that early too.
Have his attorney help him draft it and show up to the hearing with him, use the media again like you did before, get public support for it!!!!
Snyder signed the 2011 romeo Juliet law…..he’d sign this too if your lawyer did it right! Its FREE To apply, NORISK!!!!!!!!!
http://www.michigan.gov/documents/SI_letter_and_app_for_pardon_after_discharge_122477_7.pdf
Zach, along with literally thousands of people that DO NOT belong on this sex registry are persecuted on a repetitive basis. The Federal court proved that the Michigan Sex Registry was unconstitutional because of ex post facto. It appears that the state of Michigan has just put their revision of the law in stale mate. Consequently, the stale mate continues to affect people that don’t belong on the registry. This needs to be resolved. Many registered are not habitual criminals, they are treated like lepers, and are forced to pay in many ways which is wrong. What is the holdup???? I have written to my state reps., but I receive NO RESPONSES.
After 302 days in jail and another 50 months of probation, I could do 6 months standing on my head. While it is unfair, taking 1 day at a time he will done in no time. Just needs to enjoy the fact that he has a date and thing of all the others that don’t or won’t.
What s blessing that his name is off the Megan Law registry; something that should have never been in place at all. That registry is illegal in so many ways. I have never heard of anyone having their names removed. God gave Blessings there.
At least he has a date. I would live in a dog house for the next six months if I knew I would be free from this living hell.
I had a very similar situation, just a few years more on the age gap….apparently even when they admit they lied about their age I’m supposed to just “know”. -___-
He’s off the registry. Our work here is done.