Sex offender in restricted ports

[erdoran]

All this talk about sex offenders being in the same boat - lowlife - is pretty awful.  The guy peeing in the alley, the skinny dipping 17 yr old, and I know of some other folks who thank goodness escaped the lifelong punishment for something along those lines - they are NOT in the same league as the pedophiles, rapists, exhibitionists, etc.  Kinda like being “a little bit pregnant”, wouldn’t you say?  Pee in the alley or do terrible things to little kids, under the sex offender registration it sounds like they are equivalent?

[Toofarfromthesea]

21 hours ago, sfaaa said:

No I have never committed any sex crime, am not on sex offender registry or ruined somebody's life for doing despicable things to them. Thank you for your concern.

 

It is a dumb line of reasoning they are using anyway. 

People on the list may be urinators or they may be child rapists, or anywhere in between.  The point is, we don't know.  And few people are willing to cut any slack for people on the lists in the hope it is a urinator.  So no, we don't take a chance on getting a urinator, because we might end up with far worse.

 

[ed01106]

14 minutes ago, Toofarfromthesea said:

 

It is a dumb line of reasoning they are using anyway. 

People on the list may be urinators or they may be child rapists, or anywhere in between.  The point is, we don't know.  And few people are willing to cut any slack for people on the lists in the hope it is a urinator.  So no, we don't take a chance on getting a urinator, because we might end up with far worse.

 

And that is the problem with the list.  The child rapist shouldn’t be on some list, they should be locked up for life.  A college kid who pees in public shouldn’t be on a list he should pay a fine or do some community service.

 

 

[ducklite]

4 minutes ago, ed01106 said:

And that is the problem with the list.  The child rapist shouldn’t be on some list, they should be locked up for life.  A college kid who pees in public shouldn’t be on a list he should pay a fine or do some community service.

 

 

Actually the child rapist should be given the death penalty without years of appeals.

 

The college kid who pees in an alley should clean the alley as community service.  That makes what they did "real."

[Toofarfromthesea]

12 minutes ago, ed01106 said:

And that is the problem with the list.  The child rapist shouldn’t be on some list, they should be locked up for life.  A college kid who pees in public shouldn’t be on a list he should pay a fine or do some community service.

 

 

 

Yeah, but that isn't the REALITY of the list.  You probably wouldn't mind hiring the peeing college kid to be your kid's care taker.  But if you are hiring someone and their name  is on the list are you going to assume it is a public pee-er, or even believe the person if they tell you that is why  they are on the list?  Knowing that some (most) on the list are guilty of far worse things?   If the list were done differently than things could be assessed dfferently.  But until that happens, assuming that someone on the list is OK seems . . . unwise.

And yes, a lot of crimes rightfully, IMO, result in consequences for the criminal even after they have paid their debt to society.. Among them are loss of voting rights, loss of 2nd amendment rights, foreclosed from many jobs, etc.  Not being able to go on cruise is a pretty mild consequence 

[ed01106]

3 minutes ago, Toofarfromthesea said:

 

Yeah, but that isn't the REALITY of the list.  You probably wouldn't mind hiring the peeing college kid to be your kid's care taker.  But if you are hiring someone and their name  is on the list are you going to assume it is a public pee-er, or even believe the person if they tell you that is why  they are on the list?  Knowing that some (most) on the list are guilty of far worse things?   If the list were done differently than things could be assessed dfferently.  But until that happens, assuming that someone on the list is OK seems . . . unwise.

And yes, a lot of crimes rightfully, IMO, result in consequences for the criminal even after they have paid their debt to society.. Among them are loss of voting rights, loss of 2nd amendment rights, foreclosed from many jobs, etc.  Not being able to go on cruise is a pretty mild consequence 

When you assume you make an “ass” out of “u” and “me”. 

 

With our neighbor we verified she was telling the truth.  

 

And in general, I am not worried about passengers in general.  I would have a serious issue with the cruise line hiring sex offenders to work in the kids club.  But I am no reason to be more worried about being on a cruise ship with a rapist that has been released from prison than a murder that has been released.  But only one is on a list. 

[sfaaa]

3 hours ago, ldubs said:

 

Sliding off topic here but I hope all countries consider DUI a criminal offense.  

Although off topic and belonging to a new thread, I'd vote Yes to this.

[anankae]

On 8/6/2019 at 3:35 PM, Aquahound said:

 

Perversion of minor when she, herself, was a minor?  What state is this?  Yes, if that story is accurate as told, those are some messed up laws to allow a relatively minor act as a juvenile to morph into lifelong sex offender registry. 

 

It's estimated somewhere around 200,000 people on the registry were added as children, the youngest around 8 years old.

As of last year the current number of children on the registry was estimated at about 90,000.

Edited September 3, 2019 by anankae

[ilikeanswers]

1 hour ago, anankae said:

 

It's estimated somewhere around 200,000 people on the registry were added as children, the youngest around 8 years old.

As of last year the current number of children on the registry was estimated at about 90,000.

 

Is there anyone trying to fix the registry? I feel like I have heard of this problem for a long time, you'd think somone would have changed things by now. 

[Toofarfromthesea]

5 hours ago, ilikeanswers said:

 

Is there anyone trying to fix the registry? I feel like I have heard of this problem for a long time, you'd think somone would have changed things by now. 

 

Or maybe most of the claims of this or that injustice are pure BS.  Although I am sure that people on the list tell the absolute truth about how minimal their charge was when someone finds out they are on the list.  It is like prison, with all the inmates who swear they are innocent.

[anankae]

"Is there anyone trying to fix the registry? I feel like I have heard of this problem for a long time, you'd think somone would have changed things by now. "

 

A lot of states are decriminalizing lesser crimes like Romeo and Juliet offenses, public indecency (peeing outside), etc. I agree, it's ridiculous some of the things that get you on the registry, like sexting nude pictures of yourself. If anyone has teenaged children with phones,  impress upon them the importance of not doing things like sexting nude pics, or having sex with their girlfriend/boyfriend under the age of consent. Many people don't understand what they're doing is illegal. Many people don't understand the severity of what happens to their lives when they get on the registry. Or if they do understand, they think they'll never get caught.

 

There are lawsuits out there contesting the registry. One going in Texas involves how years ago someone would plea bargain, get prison time, parole, probation, and/or community service in exchange for not having to register. Complete their debt to society. Fifteen years later getting called to the police station and being informed they'd now have to register. This happens a lot, btw.

 

Couple cases have gone to the Supreme Court, one pretty recently, this year or last year I believe.

 

Why does the registry persist? Because it elects politicians. Because it's poison to a politician if they favor sex offenders. Because there're a lot of hysterical, angry, self-righteous people out there that think the registry is protecting their children.  There are numerous studies out there that show the registry does not work (as visualized) and around 90% of the people on it are no threat to society at all. 

 

This is one of my favorite "someone's life got ruined" stories. Nineteen-year-old college student meets girl online, girl lies about her age, says she's 18, she's really 14. What's worse is he travels 20 miles to her state, so now he's prosecuted in 2 different states with different sets of laws. At his trial both the girl and her mom plead to the guy's defense about how she lied to him. It's not a crime to lie to someone about your age so nothing happens to her. Guy  is a computer science major but while on probation one is not allowed to use the Internet so his career goes down the drain. 
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/indiana-teen-zach-anderson-labeled-sex-offender-after-sex-girl-lied-about-age/

 

[alaata]

On 6/30/2019 at 11:36 AM, tony_117 said:

I'm a registered sex offender because of something that happened over 20 years.  I'm not here to get into that but I am looking at going on a cruise that departs from Florida and goes to the Western Caribbean (It is on a cruise line allows sex offenders to travel).  Some of the ports of call don't allow sex offenders (namely Mexico).  If I try to enter the country will they just make me return to the ship or will they make me cut my trip short and fly home?  And if I don't try to get off the ship, will I be OK on the ship or will they still send be back being I am in Mexican waters?

Which cruise line did you go on?  What other things did you need to do to let you cruise? .. I want to take someone w us which is on the list also. I've been trying to get a straight answer from the cruise lines. and  as fast as I ask the say NO. They cant board or cruise.   My family loves cruising and without him. We will just look for other vacation spots. 

Edited September 11, 2019 by alaata

[ed01106]

On 9/3/2019 at 7:09 AM, ilikeanswers said:

 

Is there anyone trying to fix the registry? I feel like I have heard of this problem for a long time, you'd think somone would have changed things by now. 

Problem is that if a politician supports meaningful intelligent reform, it is all too easy for next election their opponent to run on a platform of X is soft on child rapists even if X is in reality only soft on drunk college students who mistake alleyways for public restrooms.

 

Prison rights/drug reform laws/overzealous sex offender laws are nearly impossible to fix because next election cycle it is too easy to lose the campaign.  Nobody has ever lost an election for being too hard on sex offenders.

[anankae]

So. We have gone on our cruise and returned and our experience this cruise was .... We did not get the extra screening. The agent looked at our passports, looked at the photos, looked at us, gave passports back, waved us through. We exhaled a huge sigh of relief.

 

It was like this until about 4 or 5 years ago when they started swiping the passports. When they first started doing it, they'd detain my friend but sternly tell me to get lost - well go outside and wait. Sometimes they'd detain me as well, but give me back my passport. Cruise before last, they kept my passport as well as his. Sometimes they'd separate us, other times they'd process us together. Once or twice they went through my luggage as well as his, that was about the time Trump got in office and started ramping up the immigration thing. This is also why I won't let him take his phone because I'm sure that'll delay us even longer. 

 

They used to really want to know what you brought back but now they don't ask unless it's alcohol or tobacco.

 

For the record, his victim was 2 months shy of the age of consent, tall, zaftig, mature for her age as she was working part time, and drove her own car and their relationship was consensual. And it happened 20 years ago.

[ray98]

On 8/2/2019 at 9:38 AM, JennyB1977 said:

@anankae I stand by my advice. Advising someone to try to "fly under the radar" seems like bad advice to me. If they follow your advice and there is some interaction while they are ashore that involves the police and it's discovered they are a sex offender, what could happen? I would rather be SAFE than sorry. If Mexico doesn't want someone in the country so be it. Travel elsewhere.

 

BTW I have an acquaintance that is on the registry because he urinated in an alley while in college. In my opinion it's ridiculous. So, I understand your "victimless" argument. However, he is on the list and MUST follow the rules.

 

 

I'm sorry.....but 99.9% of the time that is a rouse.  I deal with sex offenders on a daily basis here in GA and you will find the vast majority tell one of two stories....they got caught urinating outside or their HS girlfriends dad found out and had them arrested.  For every offender who rapes a child....1 out of 25 will answer truthfully to people in their lives who have no direct knowledge of their crimes.

[Cruiser_1977]

@ray98 While it may be true that offenders often lie. In this case I am 100% sure of the details. This person is known to me as are the officers that were involved.

[sanger727]

On ‎9‎/‎3‎/‎2019 at 5:44 PM, anankae said:

This is one of my favorite "someone's life got ruined" stories. Nineteen-year-old college student meets girl online, girl lies about her age, says she's 18, she's really 14. What's worse is he travels 20 miles to her state, so now he's prosecuted in 2 different states with different sets of laws. At his trial both the girl and her mom plead to the guy's defense about how she lied to him. It's not a crime to lie to someone about your age so nothing happens to her. Guy  is a computer science major but while on probation one is not allowed to use the Internet so his career goes down the drain. 
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/indiana-teen-zach-anderson-labeled-sex-offender-after-sex-girl-lied-about-age/

 

 

Really? You don't see a problem with what he did. Ignorance of age is not a defense in these types of cases. Maybe if he was more focused on meeting a girl, dating her, getting to know her, and having an actual relationship rather than hooking up with random strangers he meets online, he wouldn't be in this situation. Yes, adult men going online to lure female minors into meeting them and having sex is a problem. Are girls going along with it? Yes. Are they emotionally immature and not necessarily able to understand the consequences of their actions? Yes. Does the fact that it was consensual make it ok? No.

[ldubs]

8 minutes ago, sanger727 said:

 

Really? You don't see a problem with what he did. Ignorance of age is not a defense in these types of cases. Maybe if he was more focused on meeting a girl, dating her, getting to know her, and having an actual relationship rather than hooking up with random strangers he meets online, he wouldn't be in this situation. Yes, adult men going online to lure female minors into meeting them and having sex is a problem. Are girls going along with it? Yes. Are they emotionally immature and not necessarily able to understand the consequences of their actions? Yes. Does the fact that it was consensual make it ok? No.

 

Well, I know I should avoid this thread because some of the comments I find just sad, particularly ones using the Lolita defense.  An adult has certain responsibilities with regards to minors.  I think you said it well.  

[SRF]

So a 19 or 20 year old guy, meets a female online.  Not in a sex chat room, but a normal forum, like Cruise Critic.

 

She says she is 18 or 19, and they like each other so they meet.

 

She looks 18 or 19, she has a fake ID that says she is 18 or 19.  But he is actually 17.

 

And it is ALL on the guy?

 

REALLY?

 

And interestingly, some states in the US have an age of consent WELL below 18.  In 30 states, it is 16.

 

In 1880, the age of consent was 10 or 12 in most states.  I guess as time goes on, people mature at a later age.

 

[anankae]

1 hour ago, sanger727 said:

 

Really? You don't see a problem with what he did. Ignorance of age is not a defense in these types of cases. Maybe if he was more focused on meeting a girl, dating her, getting to know her, and having an actual relationship rather than hooking up with random strangers he meets online, he wouldn't be in this situation. Yes, adult men going online to lure female minors into meeting them and having sex is a problem. Are girls going along with it? Yes. Are they emotionally immature and not necessarily able to understand the consequences of their actions? Yes. Does the fact that it was consensual make it ok? No.

 

That is exactly why he got such a harsh sentence to begin with. The judge decided to make an example of him. Judges are generally more impartial than that.

 

I do not think he deserved what he got. If anything, I think his was a crime of stupidity. Yes, he should have gotten to know her. I don't think he deserved to have his life ruined because she lied about her age.  There was no luring of minor females. It was a consensual hookup. 

 

And yes, ignorance of age is not a defense. Yes, having sex with someone not the age of consent is illegal all 50 states. He got reamed, which is why there was a public backlash about his case and why the judges and states backed off on his sentence. He's still screwed tho. He got jail time, he's an ex-con, he's got a felony on his record. If it were your son, would you feel the same way?

[ed01106]

20 minutes ago, SRF said:

So a 19 or 20 year old guy, meets a female online.  Not in a sex chat room, but a normal forum, like Cruise Critic.

 

She says she is 18 or 19, and they like each other so they meet.

 

She looks 18 or 19, she has a fake ID that says she is 18 or 19.  But he is actually 17.

 

And it is ALL on the guy?

 

REALLY?.

 

Yes, and in most states there is an extreme double standard in comparison to selling booze and cigarettes vs sex.

 

Man age 21 meets a 16 yo in a bar she has a fake id stating she is 21.  He believes her when she tells him that she is 21.  They leave the bar and go back to his apartment and have sex.

 

He is guilty of statuary rape, however, as long as the bartender reasonably believed the id was real  then the bar is not liable for selling to a minor. 

[anankae]

"I stand by my advice. Advising someone to try to "fly under the radar" seems like bad advice to me."

 

This advice came from his attorney. Attracting attention to oneself in the US is not the best idea. Doing the same in a foreign country is monumentally stupid.

 

Seriously. Be low key. Your life will run much smoother.

[sanger727]

Do you realize you are arguing the merits of checking someone's ID prior to have sex? This is the most ridiculous argument I've ever heard. Random sexual encounters with strangers met online can have unintended side effects. STD's, pregnancy, sex videos leaked online, and in this case criminal charges. He wasn't a 19 year old having sex with a 17 year old, he was a 19 year old having sex with a 14 year old. That is no ok. How would you feel if you were that girl's mom? Probably like your underage, child daughter was taken advantage of by an older adult man. Because she was. What hopefully everyone adult and child is learning in the age of online dating, chat rooms, and hook up apps is the inherit dangers in meeting people one on one, especially for the purpose of random hook ups. You have 35 year old men posing at 16 year old men, 14 year old girls posing as 21 year old girls, cops posing as either one during sting operations, etc.

[anankae]

18 hours ago, ray98 said:

If Mexico doesn't want someone in the country so be it. Travel elsewhere.

 

This kills me. Really? Travel elsewhere. Where? Where do you suggest I go? Should I stop cruising because Mexico doesn't like sex offenders? Because Jamaica doesn't like sex offenders? In recent years, the list of countries that don't allow sex offenders has gotten a lot longer.

 

I am not the sex offender yet I am being inconvenienced. Should I ditch my friend, find a new cruising partner? {facepalm}

 

{grumble} This is why I go off and don't read threads like this for 4 months at a time. I can't wallow in what-ifs or he-shouldn't-have-dones or all-sex-offenders-should-be-shot-no-matter-what-their-offense. I have to be pragmatic about this.

 

I am really really frustrated atm cause the Texas legislature just rewrote large sections of the sex offender portion of the Penal Code making it a lot harder for someone to qualify for deregistration. Thanks so much.

[anankae]

43 minutes ago, sanger727 said:

D He wasn't a 19 year old having sex with a 17 year old, he was a 19 year old having sex with a 14 year old. That is no ok. How would you feel if you were that girl's mom? 

 

The girl's mom pleaded for the guy's defense at his trial. For the judge to go easy on him.

 

How would you feel if it were your son?

Edited October 23, 2019 by anankae