Serious Lifechanging Screwup

[Guest badluckcharley]

The purpose of this post is two fold:

The first to let people know that they can never never trust anyone they hire. I hire a young man off of Craigslist, he advertised he was 18, he told me he was 18 if 3 different conversations well without going into the detail he ended up being 3 days short of his 16th birthday. Needless to say now I am charged with a couple serious felonies Don't trust anyone please

The second is what I am asking from the board, is for information about what it means to have to register as a sex offender as that is what I am looking at in addition to be being a convicted felon. I have looked online and it seems pretty vague. How does it effect world travel if at all or is it the felonies that cause those problems.

well any advice would be appreciated

dumb shit

[JKane]

Wow man, that's horrible! Is it a done deal or still working through the courts? Can you prove he said he was over 18 to them or is that not any mitigation? We've all seen homosexual activities receive more law enforcement attention than similar straight activities, and one of the former star escorts of LA once told me how the vaguest reference to knowledge of underage prostitution in another country was used to nearly destroy his life.

Could you please tell us more about the hiring (location, any warning signs?) and how law enforcement got involved?

I don't know anything about how felonies or being a registered sex offender would affect travel, but if it's an option to leave the country that could be your best bet... I have heard several stories lately about how bad the domestic part of being a registered sex offender are: the restrictions on where you can live especially, and that it doesn't seem to ever go away--one story I saw was about a guy who was a senior in highschool when he started having sex with his freshman girlfriend and her cunt of a mother reported him, he's now served his time, married the girlfriend and there's nothing that can change him being a 'Registered Sex Offender' even though the mother is now also on his side.

I do hope you can provide more details as a warning to others and that there are some people here who can give you some advice.

[Guest StuCotts]

This reminds me of a story I read -- I don't remember where -- within the past few months. If my recollection of details is off, somebody can correct me.

It told of a man who became involved with a boy who advertised on Craigslist and claimed to be of age. After a couple of encounters the boy's putative parents showed up with proof that the boy was underage and threatened charges of child molestation if the man didn't pay up. I don't remember how it ended.

Just one more cautionary tale.

[JKane]

It told of a man who became involved with a boy who advertised on Craigslist and claimed to be of age. After a couple of encounters the boy's putative parents showed up with proof that the boy was underage and threatened charges of child molestation if the man didn't pay up. I don't remember how it ended.

I've heard of that blackmail setup used in Russia and maybe Brazil.

[TampaYankee]

Charlie, I'm sorry about your unfortunate circumstance. I wish I could answer your question but I am uninformed about the specifics of sex offender rules and regs. I do suspect the details depend, in part, on the state you reside in.

Although the horse is already out of this barn this is a lesson for others. NEVER rely on the escort's word alone about age. If there is any doubt, any doubt about age, then ask for a picture ID. For discretion purposes it is easy for the escort to cover his name and address with his thumb/fingers leaving photo and age visible. If he is unable or unwilling to cooperate with this request then take a pass. Respect the law or be willing to accept the consequences and don't rely on the escort to protect your interests.

NEVER ever rely on the escort's word alone if there is the slightest doubt.

[TotallyOz]

I don't know much about what it means to register as a sex offender. I do know that most places in the world that require a long term visa will want an FBI check and verification of no felonies. If you ever want to teach English in a foreign country, this is also a requirement.

When I was in NYC and owned an escort agency, we always made sure the guys were over 18. I did a background check on each of them to verify this. Another agency in town did not and one day a boy appeared on the site that we knew was not yet 18. I called the agency and the owner and got a very nasty snippy remark about me interfering with their business. I decided at that moment not to try to help them ever again. They did remove the boy from their website that night but had anyone seen him, that person would be guilty of the same thing you were charged with.

I hope that others will give any advice they can on the registered sex offenders list. I don't know anything about it.

[OneFinger]

What an awful experience for you! My heart goes out to you.

I believe the sex offender registry rules differ slightly from state-to-state. In my state your picture is on a website along with a list of your offenses and your "target" profile. They also list your current address, make and model of all cars with license numbers, and similar data. This database can be sorted by name, age, or zip code. They are even linked to Google Maps and will display a "flag" of all registered sex offenders near your home.

This info must be updated at least yearly. In addition, neighbors are encouraged to e-mail the state with any info that may not be accurate.

In my state there are also housing restrictions. For example, you can live within XXX feet of a school or day care center. Many non-profit organizations are now doing background checks on all volunteers.

I honestly believe that any type of traveling outside the USA is going to be problematic. Over 25 years ago a co-worker plead guilty to a misdomeaner marijuana possession charge (personal use). He still can't travel to Canada or Mexico without being stopped at the border and interrogated. He's finally given up and doesn't even try to leave the country.

Unfortunately, this will follow you the rest of your life. I believe that Homeland Security will have access to all arrests (even if eventually found innocent). This is shared with other countries and your passport will be flagged whenever you try to use it.

I know this sounds grim. But, based on what I've heard from others that have been arrested on much less serious charges, your ability to travel will be greatly restricted.

Good luck and thanks for the warning.

[TotallyOz]

Badluck,

What state is this in? What is the age of consent in that state?