NY – Civil Confinement Gets Another Look

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Hoping to take advantage of the current “honeymoon” spirit of cooperation between the governor’s office and leaders of the legislative branch in Albany, some officials are urging that steps be taken now to enact civil confinement legislation. This measure, according to officials, is designed to further protect children from dangerous sexual predators after they have been released from prison.

State Assemblyman Fred Thiele (R-Bridgehampton) last week addressed Governor Eliot Spitzer’s call for immediate action on the issue “13 years after Assembly Republicans first proposed the idea.” Thiele explained that swift passage of civil confinement legislation would not only protect the safety of children in the state, but would also send a message that things in New York are in fact changing for the better.

“Far too much time and money has been wasted playing games with this critical issue,” Thiele said. “As legislators, it is our duty to protect the safety of New York’s children and families.”

Nearly 20 states across the country have instituted civil confinement legislation for “the worst of the worst” sex offenders – individuals who have been convicted of violent sexual crimes, done prison time, and while they may now be out on parole, are deemed a potential risk for repeating the offense.

ND, SD – Library clerk held for sex offense

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Jan 31, 2007 – 04:01:59 CST
By JENNYMICHAEL
Bismarck Tribune

A Bismarck library clerk has been charged in federal court with one count of traveling with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor.

David Boschee, 37, was charged for allegedly traveling to South Dakota on Sept. 29, 2006, for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with a minor, said a news release from U.S. Attorney Marty Jackley from the district of South Dakota.

The charge is punishable by up to 30 years in prison and fines of up to $250,000.

United States Magistrate Judge Charles S. Miller ordered on Monday that Boschee be held until he can be transferred to South Dakota. Boschee was being held in the Burleigh County Detention Center as of Tuesday afternoon.

A trial date has not yet been scheduled.

OH – Many juvenile sex offenders face registration requirements

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Jack Palmer
January 31, 2007
By JACK PALMER

palmer@crescent-news.com

While some states have laws requiring juveniles who commit any sex-related offense to register with law enforcement authorities, that is not the case in Ohio.

“There are some cases where it is required, but much of the time it is discretionary with the juvenile judges,” said Steve Ruyle, Defiance County Probate and Juvenile Court judge. “We look at each case based on the facts.

“We probably average about a dozen juveniles who commit sex offenses annually over the past five or six years,” Ruyle stated. “Close to half of them were ordered to register.

“Any rape and any offense involving young children are automatics for registration with the sheriff’s office,” said Ruyle. “If it’s a case where a 14-year-old was having (consensual) sex with a 12-year-old girl, I may only require the offender to notify the district superintendent where he attends school.”

IN – Labeled for Life: A Sex Offender Speaks

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Posted: 10:18 PM Jan 31, 2007
Last Updated: 5:39 PM Feb 1, 2007
Reporter: Kari Huston
Email Address: khoward@wndu.com

“Sex offender” is a label this man admits he deserved after he molested a young Goshen girl back in 1988. To protect his identity we’ll call him “Ed”. “Ed” contacted Newscenter 16 because 19 years after that crime, Indiana suddenly made him register as a sex offender.

“Just a couple of weeks ago they sent me a letter saying that I had to move because I live within 1000 feet of a school,” “Ed” says. The Elkhart County Sheriff’s Department informed “Ed” that he would be charged with a felony if he didn’t move out of his house of 10 years.

Indiana considers “Ed” a lifelong sex offender on their registry, even though he was convicted in 1988 before the registry existed.

Debatable: Are all sex offenders equally dangerous?

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Debatable: Are all sex offenders equally dangerous?
By Janine Anderson

RACINE – During the sentencing hearing for a Sturtevant man convicted of possession of child pornography, his sister asked the judge to leave him off the sex offender registry.

On Monday, Timothy Alders, 64, was sentenced to three years of probation for possession of child pornography. Alders pleaded guilty to five counts of possession of child pornography, reduced from the 20 he was initially charged with. The judge also gave Alders a stayed six-month jail sentence, which he would have to serve if he violates terms of his probation. Alders had two drunken driving convictions, but no other prior record.

The pornography was discovered when Alders brought his computer to Best Buy for service. A Geek Squad employee opened a folder called “young” and found several images of children, about 10 years old and younger, engaged in sexual activity. The employee called police, and Alders was arrested.

NH – Sexual offender ordinance before town

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Tuesday, January 30, 2007
By GAIL OBER
gobercitizen.com
gober@citizen.com

TILTON – A proposed town ordinance that would severely restrict where a registered sex offender is allowed to live may come before residents at March Town Meeting.

If passed, the ordinance states that no registered sex offender who has been convicted of a crime against a person under 16 and who is required to register for life may live within 2,500 feet, or about a half mile, from any public or private educational facility, day care, or recreational facility funded to any degree by public money.

Selectmen chose to table discussion about the proposed warrant article until Thursday when a representative of the Tilton Police Department can provide more information.

Canada – Crown Asks for 8 Year Sentence

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He and his wife both pleaded guilty to the sex crimes and now 49 year old Donald Black will have to watch his back in a Federal Penetentiary. He’ll be back in court on February 14th.

He’ll spend the next 8 years in a Federal Penetentiary for sexual crimes against some of our local kids, if a joint recommendation from the Crown and defence is accepted.

49 year old Donald Black was in Moose Jaw court yesterday to answer to charges of making child pornography, possessing child pornography, 2 counts of invitation to sexual touching and 3 counts of sexual exploitation.

One of the children he abused was just 18 months old. The others were 4 and 5 years old at the time of the crimes, some committed only a year ago.

The victims were captured on video and in photographs.

Black pleaded guilty to the 7 charges several weeks ago.

His wife, Audrey, has pleaded guilty to 5 charges in connection to the same case. She will be sentenced in March.

Donald Black will be sentenced February 14th.

Both remain in custody.

MI – Man faces molestation charges

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ALLEGAN TOWNSHIP — The husband of a daycare operator is accused of molesting a 4-year-old girl who was enrolled at the facility.

Guy Byer, 42, was arrested Sunday.

“The victim initially disclosed to her mother who in turn called us,” said Lt. Ron Johnston of the Allegan County Sheriff’s Department.

After conducting a series of interviews with the suspect and victim, Byer was charged with two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct.

FL – Parents hear reality of child sex abuse

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There are 1,250 registered sex offenders and predators in Pinellas County.

For every one that is identified, 12 are not.

Thirty-three percent of girls and 16 percent of boys will be sexually abused before they become adults.

Those were facts shared with parents during a workshop Thursday on child sexual abuse and abduction prevention. Pinellas County sheriff’s Cpl. Denise Nestor taught the two-hour class at the Town Hall in Redington Beach.

Jennifer Tennant, 33, of Redington Shores found out about the workshop from a flier her kids brought home from school.

“You know it happens all the time, but to hear the numbers, it was absolutely scary,” Tennant said.

IN – Teacher Investigated for Possible Molestation

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A middle school teacher is suspended amid allegations he molested two students.

Judy Tovey, a spokeswoman for South Bend School Corporation, confirms a male teacher at Dickinson Intermediate Center is on leave pending an investigation.

The teacher allegedly had inappropriate contact with two 14-year-old girls on more than one occasion last month. Police say the St. Joseph County Family Violence and Special Victim’s Unit is investigating the case. The teacher, who has not been identified, has not been arrested.

WA – Jury acquits Kennewick man, 46, of child rape

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By Kristin M. Kraemer, Herald staff writer

A 46-year-old Kennewick man was acquitted Friday of charges that he sexually assaulted a pre-teen girl on several occasions more than three years ago.

The Benton County Superior Court jury returned its verdict for Todd Michael Finch late in the afternoon.

Finch had been charged with second-degree rape of a child and second-degree child molestation. The jury also had the option of finding him guilty on a reduced charge of fourth-degree assault, but acquitted him on all three.

The trial started Monday with prosecutors alleging the sexual acts occurred between July 1, 2003, and Feb. 9, 2004. The girl had told police it started with Finch asking her to give him back rubs, according to court documents.

NJ – Speedier predator warnings sought

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Saturday, January 27, 2007

By LISA GRZYBOSKI
Courier-Post Staff
VOORHEES

Two state legislators could introduce as early as Monday a bill aimed at providing immediate public notification whenever a registered sex offender changes residences.

The legislation is a response to an ongoing situation in Voorhees where a high-risk sex offender moved into a residential area in September, but didn’t have his updated profile posted on the New Jersey State Police’s Internet registry until Jan. 10.

Most people living near the Homer Avenue halfway house where Donald Bailey, 42, now resides learned he was in the neighborhood from anonymous fliers stuffed in their mailboxes earlier this month.

Bailey is a Tier 3 sex offender, the state’s most dangerous classification. He was convicted of sexually assaulting a male acquaintance younger than 13 years of age, according to information on the state police’s Internet registry.

Under state law, law enforcement should personally notify people who live within a half-mile radius of a Tier 3 sex offender’s residence. That hasn’t yet happened in Bailey’s case, Camden County Assistant Prosecutor Dana Petrone said at a Voorhees township meeting Monday.

IN – Wayne County man faces molest charges

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NEW CASTLE — A Wayne County man has been accused of sexually abusing an underage girl in Henry County.

The alleged victim told authorities that William I. Moffitt, 48, 332 W. Main St., Cambridge City, attacked her after driving to an isolated area near the Henry-Fayette county line last May 4.

Authorities said the girl was a friend of a relative of Moffitt, and had been offered a ride home from school.

Moffitt, arrested Thursday, was charged this week with two counts of child molesting, one a class A felony carrying a standard 30-year prison term and the other a class C felony with a standard four-year sentence, and well as criminal confinement, a class C felony, and battery, a class D felony with a standard 18-month sentence.

He was being held in the Henry County jail late Friday under a $165,000 bond. He appeared in Henry Circuit Court on Friday, when he received a May 14 trial date.

According to court records, Moffitt was convicted of battery and public intoxication in Bartholomew County in 2003.

IN – Portage man pleads guilty to molesting girl

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VALPARAISO: Thomas McLennon, 24, sentenced to six years

BY BOB KASARDA

VALPARAISO | A 24-year-old Portage man was sentenced Friday to six years behind bars after pleading guilty to molesting a 4-year-old girl.

Thomas McLennon, of 3350 Swanson Lane, declined the opportunity to comment before Porter Superior Court Judge Bill Alexa sentenced him.

McLennon reportedly told police he was drunk when the offense occurred on the evening of May 19 and did not remember many of the details. He, however, did not contradict the story given by the girl.

He told police he worked at the prison in Michigan City and knew what happened to men who molest children, court records state.

McLennon will be able to cut his prison sentence in half or more with good behavior and participation in various programs. When released he will be placed on formal probation for four years and be required to register as a sex offender. He also will take part in sex offender treatment and undergo a substance abuse evaluation and any necessary treatment.

McLennon is forbidden from having any further contact with the victim and must submit to an HIV test.

Canada – Three Sikh priests held on sexual abuse charges in Canada Gurdawara

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Aman Singh writes from Canada    Saturday, 27 January 2007

WINNIPEG(CANADA): The Sikh community in Winnipeg is reacting with shock to news that police have formally charged three Sikh priests with a variety of sexual assault charges.

All three teach at the Gurdwara Nanaksar temple in the St. Vital area.Gurdwara Nanaksar is one of only 17 temples of its kind worldwide – it is affiliated with a specific Sikh sect, Nanaksar Satsang Sabha. Others in the Sikh community worried about the scars the charges may leave on the reputation of the nearly 15,000 Sikhs in Winnipeg.

The priests are alleged to have abused a Winnipeg man when he was a boy, over a period of more than five years from June 1990 to January 1996.

“The community is totally stunned by this,” said Tej Bains, a retired social worker and activist.”We are still in shock and there’s a number of factors. First of all, we just don’t talk about sexuality and … we really honour our priests.”

Bakhshish Singh, 47, Kuljit Singh, 43, and Dalbag Singh, 37, all face charges of sexual assault, sexual exploitation, sexual interference and invitation to sexual touching.

Jamaica – Sexual offences not probed because team immobile

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A crucial police unit in St. Mary is lamenting the absence of a service vehicle.

The Centre for Investigation of Sexual Offences and Child Abuse office in St. Mary has been without a vehicle for more than six months.

According to a source at the unit, work is being severely hampered by the lack of a vehicle as staff members are unable to respond in a timely manner to reports of sexual abuse.

The source added that on any given day, the unit receives at least three calls in respect of child abuse offences but officers are unable to visit the scene due to the lack of a functioning vehicle.

In addition, the source stated that the staff is frustrated as the office space currently housing the unit is inadequate and also lacks a computer for storage of classified data.

The source added that 12 cases have been reported to the unit since December, 10 of which are now before the court.

Meanwhile, the Port Maria Police Station is suffering with a similar problem as only three vehicles at the station are functional.

The other vehicles assigned to the station are in need of major repairs.

IA – Child-abuse cases on the rise

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By Melissa Regennitter of the Muscatine Journal

MUSCATINE, Iowa — The rate of child-abuse and -neglect cases shot up 26 percent in Muscatine County from 2000 to 2005, according to an Iowa Kids Count 2005 report.

Statistics for 2006 will not be available for several weeks, but local officials are worried that   the trend is continuing.

The Iowa Kids Count Initiative is funded by the Annie E. Casey Foundation of Baltimore, Md. It  annually updates and disseminates national, statewide and county-level trend data on eight key indicators of well-being for Iowa children, ranging from health to education to welfare.

There’s speculation that the rise in reported abuse cases might be a result of the public’s increased inclination to report. Because it’s difficult to prove that more children are being abused, rather than more people reporting alleged abuses, officials can only hope that it’s the latter of the two. However, it’s not likely the sole reason.

With the rise in high-profile abuse cases nationally and locally, families, neighbors and strangers have began to speak out more often for the innocent,  according to Rachel Riley Smock, program supervisor for the Muscatine Domestic Abuse Shelter and the Sexual Assault/Domestic Abuse Advocacy Program.

“The children don’t have a voice and choices as the adult does,” Riley Smock said.

NY – Help is there for sexual abuse victims

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On Jan. 16, PBS aired an important documentary, “The Hand of God.” It featured a survivor of sexual abuse by a priest. It was not just one person’s story. John Cultrera and his brother, Paul, the filmmaker, uncovered approximately 100 allegations of abuse by the same priest, who was moved from parish to parish by a seminary classmate who later became a bishop.

Survivors of sexual abuse often experience life-long effects: deep shame and self-questioning; intolerance for or disbelief of their accounts; lack of justice; intimacy problems; lack of self- esteem; nightmares; intrusive thoughts; and, perhaps most of all, loss of faith in God, humankind, oneself and the future. Abuse is not an event or events that can simply be forgotten. They break into one’s soul.

Resources do exist and healing can occur. Justice can be sought. Rape crisis centers, therapists and support groups are available. Help can be found online at the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests’ Web site, which also offers support to people abused by other clergy.

Suzanne Maschmeryer

NC – Rape of 10-year-old girl alleged

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January 27,2007

Roselee Papandrea

A 44-year-old Jacksonville man was charged Thursday with raping a 10-year-old girl.

Robert Wayne Phillips was charged with first-degree rape of a child, first-degree sex offense of a child, indecent liberties with a child, felony child abuse (sexual act) and contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile. He was placed in the Onslow County jail under $250,000 bond, said Onslow County Sheriff Ed Brown.

The Onslow County Department of Social Services contacted the Sheriff’s Department on Jan. 10 in connection to a case of alleged sexual abuse. Authorities interviewed Phillips, the 10-year-old girl and the child’s mother, Brown said.

“The 10-year-old victim told DSS, the deputy and her mother that Phillips had raped her 11 times over the last six months and the most recent time was (Jan. 9),” Brown said. “On one occasion, the victim’s 11-year-old brother walked in while the rape was occurring.”

The girl was taken to Onslow Memorial Hospital for a forensic examination, Brown said.

“That examination revealed evidence of a rape,” Brown said.

On Friday, Sgt. Richard Baumgarner, who is investigating the alleged incidents, obtained an order from a judge authorizing him to get blood samples from Phillips, which will be compared to evidence found on the girl, Brown said.

FL – Man gets jail for sex offense with minor

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HERALD STAFF REPORT

BRADENTON – A man who recently pleaded no contest to having sex with a 12-year-old girl will spend time behind bars for the offense.

Deterio Green, 20, formerly of Tampa, was sentenced Friday to one year in jail for lewd and lascivious battery. He was 16 at the time of the offense, attorneys say.

The crime stems from an incident in late 2002 or 2003 when Green had sex with a 12-year-old acquaintance and got her pregnant, said Assistant State Attorney Brian Iten. The incident occurred in the victim’s mother’s Bradenton home.

Circuit Juvenile Judge Marc Gilner also sentenced Green to five years probation. During that time, Green must pay child support and is not permitted to contact the victim unless by court authorization.

Green pleaded no contest to the charge Dec. 12. If he would have gone to trial and been convicted, he could have faced up to 15 years in prison, Iten said.

- Natalie Neysa Alund