After their sentences are complete, sexually violent predators are allowed to register as 'homeless'

7-4-15 Colorado:

DENVER - A recently released sexually violent predator registered his Denver address as "homeless," which turns out to be a common occurrence.

Earlier this week, Denver police posted a community notification on YouTube and Facebook about the release of --. He registered his address as the 1100 block of Park Avenue West, which is near Park Avenue West and Broadway. That location is near the Denver Rescue Mission and other homeless services.

According to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, sexually violent predators are given that designation because they meet certain criteria:

---A sexually violent predator is an adult who has been convicted on or after July 1, 1999 of a sex crime in accordance with statute committed on or after July 1, 1997.

---An SVP's victim must have been a stranger to the offender or a person the offender established a relationship with for the sole purpose of sexual victimization.

---An SVP must be likely to commit subsequent sex offenses based upon the results of a risk assessment screening instrument administered to the offender.

"The only requirements are that they register. You can't mandate somebody to have a home," said Chris Lobanov-Rostovsky, program manager with Colorado's sex offender management unit. "There is no state law that requires them to be in a certain location."

7NEWS checked and found 41 sex offenders listed as homeless in the 1100 block of Park Avenue West.

"This is a very popular block for them to register people as transients," said Josh Geppelt, senior director of emergency services for the Denver Rescue Mission. "It's kind of those Catch-22s, you may not want them next door to you in a home or an apartment, but you also don't want them homeless on the streets."

"To find residence as a sexually violent predator, and to have a landlord who would then be willing to have their address listed on a state site saying a sexually violent predator is registered here, some people are reluctant to rent in those situations," said Lobanov-Rostovsky.

"It's very dangerous because there are a lot of women out here," said downtown Denver resident Nikki Dorritie. "You should have an ankle bracelet on, to track your whereabouts, even if you're done with your time because you still have the chance to do it again."

In the case of Greer, he has served his sentence and is no longer on parole or probation.

"The law requires them to check-in more frequently with law enforcement, as a result, so there's greater safeguards in place in those situations," said Lobanov-Rostovsky. "They're expected to tell law enforcement where they're staying and if they're not staying there, they're in violation of their requirements to register and they can be charged with that as a 'failure to register' charge."

In May, another sexually violent predator, who registered as homeless in the 1100 block of Park Avenue West was arrested in the violent attack on a student on the Auraria campus. James Alphonso Holmes was charged with attempted first-degree murder and attempted sexual assault. He had been living as homeless since March. ..Source.. by Marshall Zelinger

Read More of Article...

Article Summary only...

Albany Township sexual predator objects to lifelong label

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

Read More of Article...

Article Summary only...