Hello everyone and welcome to this week's Sheriff's Corner. This weeks Corner will continue the sexual offender/sexual predator and what their presence in our county means to us. This is an extremely hot topic and one we have already dealt with for many years. It is also a topic we are focused on day to day. We are constantly updating our files when out of state offenders move into our area. We also send out alerts when predators have a change of location.
We currently have 111 sexual offenders in Levy County, of these four (4) are sexual predators. Currently, 41 of these people are under supervision for their offense. The rest are accountable to the DMV and our office. Remember that all predators are sexual offenders. However, not all offenders are sexual predators.
First, let's talk about what constitutes a sexual predator. This can get confusing but I'll try to clear it up. There are three ways a person can be qualified and designated as a "sexual predator". The first has to do with a singular specific offense that occurred on or after October 1st, 1993 in Florida or elsewhere when the offender was convicted of the offense and was also found to be a predator by a court. These offenses are kidnapping and false imprisonment, when the victim is a minor and the offender is not a parent; sexual battery; lewd and lascivious offenses on someone less than 16 years of age and selling or buying of minors for use in pornography. Also if the offense was similar but in another jurisdiction. The key here is the October date. This is called "once is enough". The second way is called "second strike". This way has the qualification that the offender had already received a conviction on or after October 1, 1993 of kidnapping, false imprisonment, luring or enticing a child, sexual battery except for two subsections, procuring a person under 18 for prostitution, lewd and lascivious offense on or in the presence of an elderly person or disabled adult. Sexual performance by a child or selling and/or of minors for movies that is sexually explicit.
The third includes the conviction of any of the preceding cases or computer pornography, and the several areas of sexual battery. As confusing as the above is to many it does develop a strong picture of the offender and the need for the predator distinction.
Next weeks Corner will help clarify the offender. Just remember the titles of the various offenses and the one, two and third distinctions. | 