These circumstances will be repeated over and over again as states FALSELY label registrants. Legislatively assigning labels that are not indicative of the circumstances of the individual's crime, in this writer's opinion, are further punishment by placing the registrant in a FALSE light before the public. The classification system used by the Adam Walsh Act does this as well, and I do believe it is unconstitutional, and one day the courts will so declare it. Nothing shows this man was either violent or a predator, a sex offender Yes.
11-23-2009 Pennsylvania:
A 45-year-old Albany Township man is humiliated that he is labeled a "violent sexual predator" for the remainder of his life.
"Getting in trouble in the first place is embarrassing," said the man, who requested anonymity. "You feel like you are a target for crimes being committed against you.
"The fact that it is a life sentence is terrible. I did something that was very wrong and now I have to live as a violent predator for the rest of my life.
"People who know me know I'm not a violent predator. It's similar to the way gay people used to be treated."
The man is one of a dozen violent predators living in Berks County. He is required to register his residence and vehicle four times a year with the state police and undergo counseling for the rest of his life.
He was sentenced on Jan. 22, 2004, to nine to 23 months in the county prison for molesting a boy he met as a social worker and a girl who attended parties at his home.
The man was employed as a caseworker with a Bucks County nonprofit agency for troubled youths when he befriended the boy, officials said.
He invited the boy to live with him and molested him twice, police said.
The man also molested a girl more than 20 times when she was 12 to 14 years old, officials said.
The man said when he completed his prison term he returned home, but found difficulty getting a job.
He ended up setting up his own contracting business.
"I know I'm a sex offender, but to call me a violent sexual predator is too much," the man said.
The man said he was hardly in trouble with the law until these offenses were reported to authorities.
"I had one criminal trespassing for climbing up a church," he said. "I used to be an adrenaline junkie."
The man said he has been in therapy and has registered his residence and car with the state police four times a year.
"It could be a lot worse," he said. "I believe Megan's Law is unconstitutional. I did the crime and served my sentence. To be stuck with this label the rest of my life is wrong."
The man said the registration requirements are unnecessary for people who go to therapy.
"I respect what they are trying to do, but it would be nice to get this behind me," he said. ..Source.. Holly Herman, Reading Eagle
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