FL- Homeless Sex Offender Asks Judge To Jail Him

7-13-2009 Florida:

FT. LAUDERDALE (CBS4) ― For committing sexual battery on a minor, Raphael Marquez served seven of an eight year sentence behind bars.

But when he was released from jail he returned before a Broward County judge ten days later with an odd demand. Marquez, 38, asked Broward County Judge Marc Gold to put him back in. For Marquez, the reasoning behind his request was that he found it impossible to find a place to live in Broward County, his attorney Cheryl Koewing told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

"Every place he looked he couldn't afford or had a restriction," Koewing said.

A majority of Broward's 31 cities have laws requiring sexual offenders to live at least 2,500 feet away from schools, parks and other places children frequent.

The few remaining place for people like Marquez would have been Broadview Park, a neighborhood where most offenders live on State Road 7 and I-595.

However, a recently passed law made it illegal for more offenders to move there. He bounced around living in cheap motels until he had no more money left. Officials found him a rehabilitation home for sex offenders in Pahokee. But without any money he couldn't afford to travel there, his attorney told the newspaper.

He had to serve two years house arrest. But without a home, Gold ruled to allow Marquez to serve six months in the Broward County Jail instead of the house arrest and be labeled a sex offender for life. He will also remain under supervision for 20 years. ..Source.. by CBS4.com