TN - The Insanity of the SOR

The following was sent to us via the "Tell Us Your Story" form and posted with the users permission.

By Freedom Lost:
I pled guilty to a charge of sexual battery in 2001. The "alleged" crime was against a women I lived with and had consensual sexual relations with. I pled guilty because of a little practice called prosecutorial blackmail. They used other charges with threat of maximum time to coerce a guilty plea. Nevertheless, that is not my story; In 2010 approaching the 10 year termination from the sex offender registry I contacted the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation requesting release from the registry. The first letter of response indicated all that was required was for me to go personally to a field office and submit fingerprints. I was incarcerated for unrelated charges and could not immediately comply. The following year pending my release I again wrote a letter requesting termination. I was informed that I would not be eligible for termination until April 20, 2020 more than 19 years after conviction. I have proof of registration and the State has stipulated in court documents that I was registered without violation in 2007 (ONLY BECAUSE I HAD A COMPUTER PRINTOUT FROM THE T.B.I. WEBSITE WITH MY PICTURE ON IT)

I began litigating this case pro-se in 2011 in Federal Court, that case is on hold pending state process. I filed a petition in State court in December 2013. I am still waiting for a decision. The states most recent position is that I was release without serving the one year sentence of my conviction. How could I be registered if I had never served the sentence? I now have an attorney and will continue to fight this case all the way back to Federal Court if necessary. If anyone has advice, resources, or input. Please post to this website. I have considered going to the media (20/20 or even Dr. Phil) This case needs media exposure so people will know the kinds of things the states are doing.

Thank you for you time and interest.

TN - Former officer (Dennis Mills Jr) charged with child rape once worked in child unit

Dennis Mills Jr.

Original Article (Video available)

04/09/2014

The personnel file of former Knox County Sheriff's Office Lieutenant Dennis Mills Jr., 43, shows during his career at the sheriff's office he was assigned to fight crimes against children.

He is in jail now, charged with raping a child.

In July, Dennis Mills, Jr. would have reached 20 years of service with the Knox County Sheriff's Office. But Tuesday, his former co-workers and investigators with the TBI arrested him.

A grand jury indicted Mills on seven counts of rape of a child, rape by an authority figure, and incest. Court documents shows the abuse lasted for a year before the child came forward in early March. That's when the sheriff's office placed him on administrative leave and TBI launched an investigation.

Records show Mills started in corrections at the Knox County jail and worked his way up to patrol. In 2000, he worked on the juvenile crime task force- a unit that investigates and arrests adults accused of abusing children. The unit also works with children to reduce the number of juvenile crimes. One supervisor wrote Mills is "One of the brightest young men I have ever worked with" in an evaluation.

When the sheriff's office terminated him Tuesday, he was a lieutenant in the warrants division who consistently scored above average to average on evaluations.

Knox County Sheriff "JJ" Jones requested Mills be moved out of the Knox County Jail to avoid any favoritism. He's being held in the Blount County jail on a $250,000 bond.

TN - Former alderman (Richard L. Smith) on probation for solicitation charges against a minor

Richard L. Smith

Original Article

This just goes to show you that the laws are only for specific people. If you are a politician, well known, or rich, then the laws don't apply to you!

03/28/2014

By Bailey Darrow

PUTNAM COUNTY - Former Monterey alderman Richard L. Smith appeared in criminal court Thursday, entering a plea of guilty to one count of solicitation of a minor and must now serve two years on the sex offender registry.

In October, Smith was arrested on a three-count grand jury indictment charging him with one count of solicitation of a minor and two counts of extortion after he reportedly made contact with a young girl on social media and by sending text messages to a cell phone he purchased for her.

By entering a best interest plea of guilty to only the one count of solicitation, a Class E felony, Smith will have to serve two years on probation and must register on the sex offender registry.

He will be allowed to continue living at his home on Volunteer Way in Monterey, even though it is less than 1,000 feet from a school or park, despite that registration status. He will also be allowed to continue living with his girlfriend and her minor child, court documents state.

Upon successful completion of the sentence, Smith will be removed from the sex offender registry and the offense will be fully expunged, according to court documents.

The indictments issued against Smith alleged that between Dec. 1, 2012, and Jan. 9, 2013, Smith “did unlawfully by means of electronic communication intentionally request, persuade, invite or attempt to induce a person who (he) knows or should know is less than 18 years of age” to engage in conduct that, if completed, would constitute a violation of the state’s statutory rape law.

The extortion indictments alleged that Smith told the girl that “he would expose information concerning their personal relationship to various parties to embarrass her unless she fulfilled promises that he said she made concerning their romantic, sexual, and personal relationship.”

According to the indictments, he also told the girl “that he would expose information concerning their personal relationship to various parties to embarrass her unless she returned certain personal property,” to him.

The items Smith insisted the girl return include a ring, a necklace and a phone, according to the indictment.

Smith served on the Monterey board of mayor and aldermen for eight years. In 2010, he ran for mayor of Monterey, losing to then vice-mayor Jeff Hicks by only two votes. He also qualified in the race for mayor of the city in 2008, but ultimately withdrew his name from the ballot. In January 2012, he resigned from the city’s Planning Commission.

Most recently, Smith gained media attention as he campaigned for what he calls “Boomer’s Law” that would increase the possible punishment for aggravated assault in the state, following the death of his son in 2012.

TN - Sex offender bill to be heard this week

Rep. Billy Spivey

Original Article

03/25/2014

By Billy Spivey

Excerpt:
HB1860 (Video), the “community notification of sexual offenders” bill, will be heard this week before the Calendar and Rules Committee. If all goes well there, it will be scheduled for a vote on the House floor.

This important bit of legislation will allow for local communities to choose, if they desire, to adopt a notification program for residents with regard to the arrival or presence of certain sexual offenders. The bill gives full authority to the locals to decide whether or not they want to pursue a notification program, so it is not forcing anything on anyone while allowing for communities who are concerned about the safety of residents (and particularly children) to do this sort of thing if it is what they deem best. Please call your Representatives and Senators and urge them to NOT support HB1860 in the House, and SB2398 in the Senate.

Sheriff Blackwelder and Sandra Metcalf of Lincoln County have been incredibly helpful throughout the process of crafting and advancing this bill. There are also a great many good folks in Lincoln County who have been absolutely critical in getting this proposal “off the launchpad”, so to speak.

HB1860 is an excellent example of local participation and activity at the grassroots level being pursued to the point of making a real difference on a state level. Folks throughout the 92nd District have been very supportive of HB1860, but it has been the passionate participation of Lincoln County residents in particular that has been most responsible for getting HB1860 to where it is now. I am so thankful and honored to serve the people of Lincoln County and have the opportunity to champion this cause alongside them.

Read the rest of the article

TN - Sex Offender Notification Bill Advances In Tennessee Legislature

Original Article

03/18/2014

By Nick Banaszak

FAYETTEVILLE (WHNT) - A push for tougher sex offender notification laws in Tennessee came one step closer to reality Tuesday, part of an ongoing effort that originated in Lincoln County several months ago.

A committee in the Tennessee Legislature approved HB 1860 (Video), a bill that would allow municipal and county governments to mail written notices and post flyers in communities that convicted sex offenders move to.

Tennessee lists all of its registered sex offenders on a state website, the only legal method of notification the Volunteer State currently has. But Lincoln County Sheriff Murray Blackwelder said residents who don’t know about the site, or those who don’t have internet access, are vulnerable to potential danger. Blackwelder said issues with the current system came to a head at a community meeting in a rural part of the county last year.

“They [residents] were concerned because they weren’t notified that sex offenders were living in their communities,” said Blackwelder. “When we discussed the TBI website, it became evident that a lot of these people did not have access to the TBI website nor access to the internet.”

Sheriff Blackwelder decided to contact state legislators about the dilemma, a brainstorming session that gave birth to the Tennessee Community Notification Act. Blackwelder said it guarantees awareness for parents, and is cost-effective.

“This gives parents the knowledge of who is in their community,” said Blackwelder. “It doesn’t cost taxpayers a dime…In this bill there is an additional 50 dollar fee assessed to the sex offender. That 50 dollars will be earmarked for community notification.”

Alabama and several other neighboring states already have similar laws in place. Lincoln County officials said it’s one reason why several sex offenders have recently moved north of the state line.

Both bodies of the Tennessee Legislature are expected to formally vote on HB 1860 in the next few weeks.

TN - Ex-Rutherford officer (Edward Farmer) indicted in alleged sex crimes against children as well a his ex-girlfriend (Catrina McQuiston)

Edward Farmer (top)
Catrina McQuiston

Original Article

02/24/2014

By Kevin Young

NASHVILLE (WSMV) - A former colonel with the Rutherford County Sheriff's Office is accused of sex crimes against children.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation arrested Edward Farmer, 55, of Springfield, and his ex-girlfriend, 28-year-old Catrina McQuiston, on charges of aggravated exploitation of a minor.

Investigators say the pair coerced a boy and girl into having sex for several months in 2010.

Farmer was fired from the sheriff's office under a cloud of suspicion in 2005 when photos of child pornography were allegedly found on his work computer.

Farmer was terminated for misuse of county property, but criminal charges were never filed.

TN - Bill would place 'sex offender' on convicted offender's license

Original Article

02/27/2014

NASHVILLE - Should sex offenders have the status marked on their driver's license in Tennessee?

The idea received a good bit of debate Wednesday on Capitol Hill.

A new bill (HB-1747) would require the words "sex offender" to be stamped on a convicted offender's driver's license in red three times.

It would increase state expenditures one time by $150,000.

The sponsor of the House bill, Rep. Matthew Hill of Jonesborough, told a sub-committee he got the idea from a constituent at a daycare where people have to show identification to be on a list to pick up children.

Critics pointed out the stamp would open offenders up to another level of ridicule.

The bill, first filed in late January, was put on hold to give lawmakers time to think.

See Also:

• Forcing a registrant to "carry the gov't message" on his/her license is likened to "forcing a person to carry the gov't message" on their car license plates which was held unconstitutional in Wooley v Maynard; hence this should also be unconstitutional?
• Tennessee Rep. Wants to Print “Sex Offender” in Red on Every Sex Offender’s Driver’s License
• Law would place designation for sex offenders on TN licenses (Video below)