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Registered Sex Offenders in Broadlands

Discussion in 'Broadlands Community Issues' started by OSimpson, Mar 18, 2015.

  1. OSimpson

    OSimpson Certified Master Naturalist

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    Broadlands resident/attorney just shared this with me and it's a it alarming - so I wanted to share. Not sure if these individuals are still in the area - but here they are:

    In Broadlands:
    VA Tire & Auto at Southern Walk (Child Sex Offender):

    http://sex-offender.vsp.virginia.gov/sor/offenderDetails.html?regId=47673

    Dollar Tree Store (Child Sex Offender):
    http://sex-offender.vsp.virginia.gov/sor/offenderDetails.html?regId=56533

    Broadlands Resident (Child Porn Offender)
    http://sex-offender.vsp.virginia.gov/sor/offenderDetails.html?regId=56255

    Not in Broadlands:
    King Pinz (Child Sex Offender):
    http://sex-offender.vsp.virginia.gov/sor/offenderDetails.html?regId=26697

    PetCo/Sterling (Child Sex Offender):
    http://sex-offender.vsp.virginia.gov/sor/offenderDetails.html?regId=7315
     
  2. blunoz

    blunoz Member

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    You can register for notifications on that Virginia State Police website. You can also use http://www.familywatchdog.us/default.asp and it will show you a map of the offenders who live or work near you and send you emails whenever a new offender moves or starts a new job near your address.
     
  3. K8467

    K8467 New Member

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    "The Virginia State Police has not considered or assessed the specific risk of re-offense with regard to any individual prior to his or her inclusion within this registry, and has made no determination that any individual included in the registry is currently dangerous. The main purpose of of providing this data on the internet is to make the information more easily available and accessible, NOT TO WARN CITIZENS ABOUT ANY SPECIFIC INDIVIDUAL."

    "Unlawful use of this information for purposes of intimidating or harassing another is prohibited and willfull violation shall be punishable as a Class 1 misdemeanor."

    Your statement warning your fellow residents that this is "alarming" could be considered intimidation or harassment. This has been reported to the LCSO.
     
  4. shim

    shim shim

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    K8467, one must have done something pretty awful to get on that list. I for one appreciate the heads up and consider it neighborly.

    Protecting innocents > Protecting perps
     
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  5. JAGMAN

    JAGMAN Member

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    In addition, the mere republication (even including the comment "alarming") does not rise to the level of intimidation or harassment - here is the complete admonition against using the info for purposes that may violate the law -

    Legal and Illegal Uses. The information on this web site is made available solely to provide information to the public. Unlawful use of the information for purposes of intimidating or harassing another is prohibited and willful violation shall be punishable as a Class 1 misdemeanor. For purposes of this section, absent other aggravating circumstances, the mere republication or reasonable distribution of material contained on or derived for the publicly available Internet sex offender database shall not be deemed intimidation or harassment.
     
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  6. cogs

    cogs Well-Known Member

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    K8467,

    We all hear of crimes against children but never expect a crime to occur in our neighborhood.

    Section 9.1.900 of Virginia reads:

    Had Oya confronted any of the individuals in that list directly and did something to harass/intimidate them, I would agree with you. I as a father of two young daughters certainly appreciate Oya's post, and I will try to prevent my daughters from coming in contact with repeat sex offenders.

    IMO, you are trying to intimidate Oya and other residents of broadlands from sharing the information provided by our govt to protect our children, by filing police complaints without a valid reason.
     
    Last edited: May 18, 2015
    typicalfamilyoffour likes this.
  7. blunoz

    blunoz Member

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    Shim, you would be surprised. I take the stuff in those listings with a grain of salt - just data to be aware of, not to be paranoid about.

    In my opinion, we have gone way overboard on declaring people "sex offenders" and putting them on this list for LIFE. There are cases where an 18 year old boyfriend has consensual sex with his 17 year old girlfriend and subsequently gets charged with statutory rape and put on the "sex offender" list for the rest of his life. I'm sorry, but I don't consider that individual a threat to my family. I'm not saying what he did was right or wrong. I'm just saying the punishment doesn't fit the crime.

    My point: Don't go overboard and assume everyone on the list are violent child molesters who are out to get your kids. If they live close by, you might want to be aware and keep an eye out, or maybe Google what the person did to get on the list in the first place.
     
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  8. K8467

    K8467 New Member

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    You're right, you can distribute the information. Your statement including "alarming" as a warning to your fellow residents is what COULD rise to the level of intimidation or harassment depending on what legal system official you take your advice from. That is the issue.
     
  9. K8467

    K8467 New Member

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    @cogs, You're assuming I am the one that reported it to LCSO. Wrong. Now, if one of your daughters got into a bar with a fake ID, met a guy, told him she was at least 21 years old and had consensual sex with him.....would it be fair for him to end up on the registry for the rest of his life? Because that has happened. I agree with @blunoz whole-heartedly: In many cases the punishment does not fit the crime. This is why sex laws need to be reformed.
    With two young children myself, I am equally as concerned with those with multiple DUIs, murder charges, kidnapping charges, etc. If society is going to put "sex offenders" on a national registry which includes their home and work address why aren't all these others on one? It only seems fair as they are equally at risk to reoffend. IMO, we have a legal system, not a justice system.
     
  10. blunoz

    blunoz Member

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    K8467 gave another good example how the sex offender list can be misleading.

    I'll tell you another example of why I think our system is messed up. I was directly involved in this investigation but I will leave out personal details / places / names, etc. This happened a few years ago.

    Two college-aged men decided to have a party and invited a certain college-aged girl to the party with the intent of initiating some sort of sexual encounter with her. She got drunk and passed out in one of the beds in the house. The first time she woke up, she was being touched by boy #1. She told him to stop, get off of her and go away. He did. The second time she woke up, she was being raped by boy #2. She told him stop, get off of her and go away. He did. She reported the incident to the authorities.

    Both boys arrested. Investigation ensued. Both boys confessed and admitted to the authorities what they did. Both boys went to court.

    Aside: This was when I learned the legal terminology and how a sex assault that occurs when the victim is incapacitated (such as being drunk and passed out) adds the word "aggravated" in front of "sexual assault" and opens the door to more severe punishments.

    Boy #1 had the book thrown at him. Every punishment he could get for aggravated sexual assault, he got. He is on the sex offender list for the rest of his LIFE for touching the girl. Again, like my previous post, I am NOT condoning what he did. What he did was clearly wrong. He SHOULD suffer SOME consequences to drive home the point that what he did was wrong. I just question the severity of the punishment versus the severity of the crime.

    Now, Boy #2 was different. When the authorities picked up Boy #2, he asked to speak to his mother. The authorities denied his request to speak to his mother. The judge ruled that asking to speak to his mother was the equivalent of asking for legal counsel, and because he was denied legal counsel, his confession was thrown out. Charges dismissed.

    So the boy who actually raped the girl is out there living a normal life free of consequences, and the boy who did the lesser of the two offenses will suffer the consequences for the rest of his life.

    If the convicted sex offender from this case moved in next door to me, I wouldn't be overly worried about my young kids' safety before I did some research on what crime he committed to be put on the list. In this boy's case, I'd like to think he learned a very painful lesson from his experience and won't try anything like that ever again. I'd just be aware and keep an eye out.
     
  11. cogs

    cogs Well-Known Member

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    K8467,

    blunoz is responding to shim's post, which is appropriate and sensible. I happen to agree with the concerns he raises too.

    My beef is with your post. You responded to a post which was lying dormant for two months in an intimidating way. Whether you filed the police complaint or someone you know did is secondary. Your post made it clear that you endorse filing a police complaint without proper cause. May be you did over react, but still ....

    Lets move on.
     
    Last edited: May 18, 2015
  12. K8467

    K8467 New Member

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    @cogs, Whether a police complaint was filed without proper cause is a matter of opinion. Just like OSimpson's original "alarming" post COULD be considered intimidation/harassment. I'm sure we could both find people (legal officials included) to side with us depending on their opinion. Nonetheless, I'm glad to hear you are open to the concerns raised about sex offense laws and the registry which is unlike the majority of society who jump to conclusions about those on the registry. Have a great day!
     
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  13. JAGMAN

    JAGMAN Member

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    @K8467, just a few thoughts - anyone can file a police report, and if it is done in a good faith belief that a crime has occurred then no harm/no foul. There is, however, no court in Loudoun County (or the Commonwealth) that would consider characterizing sex offender links as "alarming" as intimidation and/or harassment. Furthermore, no Commonwealth Attorney would even file the charges based on someone posting a list of individuals stating they are "alarmed" that a group of sexual offenders are located in the community. I can't think of any "local official," especially if they are elected, that would side with your view regarding the posting of sexual offenders on a forum and describing the list of persons as "alarming". Last, my only concern is that the local community is not more aware of these individuals located within the community.
     
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  14. K8467

    K8467 New Member

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    @JAGMAN, Thanks for sharing your opinion. I still stand firm it could be argued either way.
     
  15. JAGMAN

    JAGMAN Member

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    @K8467, my opinion is based on my experience as a former federal prosecutor. It would be even more difficult, in my opinion, for an elected prosecutor to bring charges against a citizen for publishing a list of convicted sexual offenders and describing the list (no an individual person) as "alarming" - ain't going to happen! This discussion has tweaked my interest, and I believe it may be worthwhile to republish the links to sexual offenders residing/working in the Broadlands area on a weekly basis under the neighborhood watch section of the forum.....
     
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  16. K8467

    K8467 New Member

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    Cool. No problems here with the republication of information so long as there is no intimidation or harassment connected with it. FYI- My opinion comes from having discussed with several lawyers/attorneys who have differing opinions on the topic- one says yes, one says no.
     
  17. JAGMAN

    JAGMAN Member

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    I can only give you the prosecutor's point of view... the crime of intimidation or harassment is a specific intent crime (e.g., the defendant intentionally commit an act and intend to cause a particular result when committing that act), and the characterization of a list of sex offenders as "alarming" does not exhibit the necessary intent to charge someone for that crime. However, on any give day you can find a lawyer to support either point of view, regarless of the merits of the argument.....
     
  18. T8erman

    T8erman Well-Known Member

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    K8467 - I guess it could be construed as intimidation, kinda like some people do here on the forums...
    "Your statement warning your fellow residents that this is "alarming" could be considered intimidation or harassment. This has been reported to the LCSO."

    YMMV
     
  19. redon1

    redon1 aka Aphioni

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    YMMV?

    You Make Me Vomit?
    You Might Make Veal?
    Your Mother Makes Vino?
    You Moved My Victrola?

    I'm out of guesses on THAT one...
     
  20. T8erman

    T8erman Well-Known Member

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    Your Mileage May Vary ;)
     
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