Woolwich Man Says His Name Doesn't Belong On Sex Offender List

12-27-2007 Maine

WOOLWICH (NEWS CENTER) -- A Wiscasset woman says the state has harmed her family by putting her son on the sex offender list. Cathy Onorato and her son Daniel are trying to get the legislature to change the sex offender law.

Daniel Onorato, who lives in Woolwich, was convicted of criminal restraint against his girlfriend ten years ago. He was 18 years old at the time and she was 17.

Three years later, the Maine legislature added criminal restraint to the sex offender list. They made the new law retroactive, so that Daniel Onorato's name was added. Since then, both Onorato and his mother say being on the list has made life miserable for all of them. She says it's unfair, because his crime had nothing to do with sex.

"His close family knew he wasn't a sex offender. But outside of close family, you can't explain to somebody he's on the sex offender registry but he hasn't committed a sex offense. Cause they don't believe you," said Cathy Onorato.

"I think there are several laws that don't belong on the sex offender list. That's just one of them," said Rep. Stan Gerzofsky from Brunswick.

Rep. Gersofsky is co-chairman of the legislature's Criminal Justice Committee. He says the sex offender law needs some changes, so that some people are not unfairly labeled.

Daniel Onorato's name is scheduled to come off the list next month. ..more.. by Web Editor: Rhonda Erskine, Online Content Producer