West Virginia lawmakers seek to combat child sex crimes

Not one word about doing anything differently to reduce alleged crimes; accordingly we see a jobs stimulus request for funding. If they cannot report success with past funding then they do not deserve further funding, the state needs to replace someone!

12-16-2013 West Virginia:

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — A legislative committee said Tuesday it will seek millions of dollars to combat sex crimes against children by hiring 50 new state troopers, which would more than double the size of this year's class of cadets.

The Select Committee on Crimes Against Children presented a package of proposals aimed at protecting children during a news conference at the Capitol. Despite an austere budget environment, the committee plans to seek $5.7 million in funding for the new troopers and also wants $250,000 in funding for child advocacy centers throughout the state.

"We know this is a difficult budget year. We have a large dollar sign on our Christmas wish list, but we think this issue is critical for our state," said Delegate Barbara Evans Fleischauer, D-Monongalia.

If approved, the funding would authorize West Virginia State Police to expand its overall ranks to a total of about 750. This year's class of cadets had about 20 people enrolled.

Committee chairwoman Del. Linda Phillips, D-Wyoming, said she's had conversations with House leadership about the budget proposals and that through sharing already appropriated funding, "we can do this."

West Virginia State Police said if it is able to enroll 50 new people into its cadet class, it would be able to reassign more experienced troopers to its Crimes Against Children Unit as soon as the replacement troopers are trained and equipped. Currently, 18 troopers are assigned to the unit, said First Sgt. Daniel Swiger, deputy director of the unit.

By 2018, State Police want to have 85 uniformed members of the crimes against children unit in place.

The unit was formed in 2006. Since then, the number of registered sex offenders has grown from 1,675 to 4,178 in 2012. The number of criminal offenses grew from 193 to 909 in that same period. So far this year, the unit's digital forensic section has logged 391 cases, according to state police.

The committee also wants stiffer penalties for those who repeatedly view child pornography and to prohibit child visitation by those who committed a sexual assault. The committee is also calling for the creation of a misdemeanor child abuse crime for creating a substantial risk of injury to a child.

Under current child abuse law, someone can only be charged with a crime if they seriously injure a child. Lawmakers on the committee said the proposal to add a misdemeanor crime for abuse or neglect that puts a child at risk of harm would give prosecutors better options when reviewing cases.

The Legislature's 2014 session begins in January. ..Source.. by BROCK VERGAKIS

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Several charged with failure to update sex offender registry

3-6-2013 West Virginia:

The WVSP reports that there are approximately 3,500 offenders listed on the registry and the list has grown by more than 400 offenders each of the past three years. Another 1,200 offenders are incarcerated and will be registered when they finish serving their sentences. ..Source.. by Martha Sparks and Debbie Rolen

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Police stay busy with sex offender site

What an unbelievable waste of taxpayer money for a glorified address book w/pics that tells everyone WHERE a registrant SLEEPS for a few hours of the day or night. There isn't a single research paper that proves, knowing where a registrant SLEEPS will PREVENT further crimes, or protect the public at all.

1-19-2011 West Virginia:

CHARLESTON, W.Va.--Kanawha County's two "sexually violent predators," who are required to provide authorities with updates on their whereabouts every 90 days, last reported that they were living in homeless shelters in downtown Charleston.

While there are only 23 such "sexually violent predators" statewide, a total of 3,228 offenders overall are now registered in West Virginia.

Keeping up with them has becoming a big job for the State Police, with 639 officers responsible for that and a myriad of other duties.

The troopers stay busy updating the registry, which can be viewed on the State Police website, and looking for those who don't update their court mandated registration, said Sgt. Michael Baylous, spokesman for the State Police.

People convicted of sexually motivated offenses are required to register with the State Police as part of their sentences and must update their registrations once a year, or sooner if their information changes. They have 10 days to notify troopers of changes.

About 400 offenders have been added each year since the Sex Offender Registry's inception in 1993.

Those deemed "sexually violent predators" by the courts are required to update their registration every 90 days.

"An enormous amount of resources are dedicated to accomplish the task of maintaining the Sexual Offender Registry," Col. Tim Pack said in a statement.

Registering and checking up on the offenders can be a lengthy process.

Offenders must report to detachments in the counties where they live and the counties where they work or attend school to update their registration.


They must disclose information about their home, vehicle, occupation or school and e-mail addresses and Internet screen names.

A trooper updates the offender's information, takes fingerprints and snaps a new photograph. That process takes about 30 minutes.

The legwork begins in the days following the visit and can take an hour or more depending on the driving distance, Baylous said.

Troopers must travel to the physical address provided and also check with the postmaster to ensure the offender still receives mail at the address. Baylous estimated the total time required to update an offender's registration at about two hours.

"There's a misconception that they come in and update their information, we take their word for it and they're done," Baylous said. "That's not how it works. We have to go out to their home, wherever it may be, and physically verify all of the information they've given us."

The task is more difficult when offenders list homeless shelters as their place of residence.

As of Monday, six of the 339 offenders living and working in Kanawha County listed their addresses as 503 or 505 Leon Sullivan Way, which are adjacent men's shelters in Charleston.

One of those offenders is ___, who was convicted in 1997 of sexual battery and lewd and lascivious conduct involving a girl in Florida. He is listed as one of Kanawha County's two "sexually violent predators."

___ is supposedly staying at the Crossroads shelter operated by the Union Mission, but a call placed there Monday went unanswered.

The other such predator is ___, a repeat offender first convicted in 1995 for sexually assaulting a male teen at gunpoint. He listed the Roark-Sullivan Lifeway Center at 505 Leon Sullivan Way as well as GPS coordinates as his physical address.

A staff member at that shelter confirmed ___ was staying there on Monday.

Baylous said troopers visit whatever address or physical location the offenders provide to verify their whereabouts, whether it is a private residence, a shelter, or even the streets.

Another difficulty troopers face in keeping the registry updated is the possibility an offender has moved or obtained a new car or e-mail address without registering.

If an offender fails to register, troopers seek them. Baylous said the department depends a lot upon the public. It often receives tips from people who check the website.

Troopers arrested 1,250 sex offenders between 2008 and 2010 who failed to update their registration or register at all.

In 2009, the website received 2,000 to 4,000 visits per day. In July of that year alone, the website received over 100,000 hits.

"It works and people do look at it, but it's not an all-inclusive tool," Baylous said. "Just because someone isn't listed on the website, it doesn't mean there's not a sexual offender in the area.

"We may not know about them (an offender); maybe they moved here from out-of-state and they didn't update like they're supposed to, or maybe they just haven't been caught yet," the sergeant cautioned. "This is just another useful tool that can be used."

He said parents concerned about sex offenders should take an active role in their children's lives and in the community.

State Police welcome those with information on registered sex offenders to contact them if they notice any discrepancies on the website but to realize the updating process can take time. ..Source.. Ashley B. Craig, Daily Mail staff

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400 Sexual Offenders Registered Last Year

1-19-2011 West Virginia:

State Police released Monday that nearly 400 people were added to the sex offender registry last year. This is up from when statistics were first recorded in 1993.

The number of sex offenders in the state has doubled from 1,468 to a little more than 3,200 this year.

Sex offenders must register once a year, during the month of their birth, with state police, for as long as a judge sentences them too.

This sentencing all depends on the type of crime.

"Anytime anybody has any harmful or offensive contact with somebody with a sexual motivation they could wind up on the sex offender list regardless if there's any intrusion or any penetration or anything like that," explains Harrison County Prosecuting Attorney Joe Shaffer.

No matter what type of sexual crime an offender is convicted of, the same process occurs every time a sex offender goes to state police.

"We finger print them, photograph them, note any changes in their appearance and then we go to their house and verify their address, their cable providers, their internet access and if they're getting mail there," says Trooper First Class J.G. Barker.

While some offenders only have to register for a limited amount of years, others almost always register for life.

"Basically when they offend against children they wind up on the sex offender list for life," says Shaffer.

Prosecutors can even take it further if the crime is what Shaffer calls "so egregious" and can attempt to have the offender deemed a violent sexual predator.

"If in the opinion of the psychologist and the psychiatrist the individual is a high risk to re-offend, then that person could be adjudicated a sexual predator. That person could receive an enhanced sentence as well as supervised release, if they're ever let out of prison," Shaffer explains.

Right now there's 29 registered sexual predators in the state.

No matter what charge a sexual offender has against them, if they fail to register yearly, more charges may be brought against them.

"Sex offenders are arrested for failure to register in West Virginia and it's a felony," says Trooper Barker.

Since 2008 nearly 1,200 sexual offenders have been arrested for failing to register with the state police.

Some didn't register for their regular required yearly registry, while others didn't notify the troopers of changes in their address or jobs. ..Source.. Nicole Porter

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