Proposed Oklahoma law would tighten restrictions on sex offenders

This proposed law, if passed, is a waste of time. What will prevent someone from parking 501 feet away and watch, or use binoculars, children up to a mile away? It doesn't take much thought to see this lawmaker is doing nothing but making himself look good, and leaving the public with a false sense of security.

2-15-2012 Oklahoma:

A proposed law on the way to the Oklahoma House floor would tighten restrictions for registered sex offenders, keeping more convicted of sex crimes from loitering near schools, day care centers and parks.

House Bill 2437 would amend the current law that bans registered sex offenders from loitering within 500 feet from places children frequent, if their prior victims were younger than 13 years old.

The proposed law would place the restriction on all registered sex offenders convicted of hurting a person younger than 18, said state Rep. Josh Cockroft, R-Tecumseh.

Cockroft authored HB 2437, which this week passed the House Judiciary Committee and is on its way to the House floor.

“A pedophile who rapes a 14- or 15-year-old is just as dangerous as one who targets younger children,” Cockroft said. “We should not allow a technicality to give pedophiles access to schools or playgrounds where they can victimize other children.”

The law was crafted from a suggestion by Pottawatomie County sheriff's deputy George Afentul.

The deputy monitors the sex offender registry in his county, which generally includes about 145 men and women.

“It had bothered me for a while,” Afentul said. “It was as if the law was saying my 13-year-old wasn't as important to protect as someone else's 12-year-old.”

Afentul said he became more frustrated when two-time convicted child molester Richard William Ormsby starting using the loophole when he moved from Kansas to the southern Pottawatomie County town of Wanette.

Afentul said Ormsby was parking his van near a school and watching children play, but there was nothing authorities could do.

Afentul's prior victims had been older than 12 and Oklahoma statutes couldn't keep him away from school property, he said.

In September, Ormsby was sent back to prison for violating the terms of his parole by lying about his address to police, court records show. ..Source.. by ANN KELLEY