GA- Homeless Sexual Offenders Fear Jail After AP Article

9-28-2009 Georgia:


On Monday morning, the Associated Press published a report about nine sex offenders living on state owned land in Marietta.

By the afternoon, news organizations from CNN to the local paper came through the camp, looking to pick up the story. And all that scrutiny is making campers nervous.

“I’m very worried I’ll end up in jail because of all this attention,” Marque Miechurski, told GPB. The 30 year old continued, "CNN has been here, WSB [TV] has been here. People aren’t going to be happy.”

The concern is that officials, both state and local, will kick them out of the camp. With no where else to go, they could end up in jail for violating their probation, Miechurski and others say. According to court documents, Miechurski was convicted of child molestation in October of 2008.

With four years left until he can remove himself from the registry, Miechurski says he is just trying to get through this period of his life and move on.

“This is the last place I can stay, I’ve been everywhere else, and if this is taken from me, I’ll have no where to go but jail… Although, being stuck here is a lot like being in jail, just on the outside,” Miechurski says.

In Cobb County, registered sex offenders are barred from living within 1,000 feet of schools, churches and parks where there might be children. Out of work, broke and without family, Miechurski says a probation officer told him about the camp.

“I won’t say who, but I came to them and told them I couldn’t find a place in compliance, and they told me about this place. The sheriff’s office can check up on us, they come three to four times a month, and my probation officer knows I’m back here.”

County and city officials did not return calls for comment. The AP article quotes Ahmed Holt, manager of the state's sex offender administration unit, as saying the camp is a “last resort” for homeless sexual offenders.

According to signs at the edge of the land, the men and woman at the camp are trespassing on state property. But Miechurski is worried he is violating his probation by living there with other homeless offenders.

“They told me I can’t associate with felons. Well, what do you call it when I’m camping out every night with them?” ..Source.. by John Sepulvado