Is It Possible to Find This Information?

[HomeschoolrsRUs]

I am by no means a legal eagle, and so I pose a question hoping that I can find out some information on my own because I don't want to engage in tale-bearing.

I don't know how to say this other than to just lay it out as I know it. Apparently a while back in the church we are attending a member was put out of the fellowship because, according to our Pastor, he had taken steps down a path (but not ACTUALLY committed any specific crime against a person), and the situation was so serious it went to a court of law. The Pastor did not give any specific information, but an inference was made that left me with the impression that this person might have been accessing (and or beginning to traffic in) child pornography, or at the very least something along that line (but no actual case of child abuse or molestation ever occurred), BUT I DO NOT KNOW THIS FOR A FACT. In any case, this man is the father of one of the (adult) young ladies in our church. Apparently the Pastor and two other church members (men) have been counseling with this man since it happened and he served his sentence (whatever it was), and it has been several years since all this happened and his parole is over. He wants to come back into the fellowship of the church, and the Pastor has proposed that this happen UNDER THE CONDITION that he be in a Men's Watchcare Program -- several men have agreed to be his "body guard" for lack of better term, and monitor his actions and behavior at the church, keep tabs on him outside of the church, etc.

Now to my question . . . since the Pastor wasn't specific about any of the details of this, and this is such a serious situation, is there any way to find out what this man did and was convicted of? Is there a way to access public records or something to find out just how serious this was? I do not want to be a tale-bearer; I do not want to have the wrong impression of this situation nor perpetuate one; I want to know because I have children, and I want to know if this is something that our family should oppose. The man is coming to speak to the church this Sunday, to admit (in unspecific terms because the church is filled with children that remain in the service) his wrongdoing, and ask for return to fellowship, and it is my understanding that the Pastor is going to call for a congregational vote on this at the close of service. So, I kind of need to find this out as soon as I can.

Any information or help in the direction would be greatly appreciated.

[TheRealLobo]

HS, what a sad tale.

Okay, if he IN FACT was sentenced as a "sex offender", then he is required to register as one.

I ran the "sex offender check" for your zip code and I will send the results to you via PM in the next three minutes or so.

I am then going to go play Scrabble with Mrs Lobo.

Let me know if it helped.

[HomeschoolrsRUs]

HS, what a sad tale.

Okay, if he IN FACT was sentenced as a "sex offender", then he is required to register as one.

I ran the "sex offender check" for your zip code and I will send the results to you via PM in the next three minutes or so.

I am then going to go play Scrabble with Mrs Lobo.

Let me know if it helped.

Hi Lobo,
Well he doesn't show up on that list, so apparently he wasn't either charged or convicted as a "sex offender." I wish I knew more about the circumstances, but I don't, and I can surely understand our Pastor's point about all this, I just can't help feeling human and wanting peace of mind for my family. I know that some people can plead to a lower charge, and therefore not convicted of a more serious crime, so that leaves me back at square one if this is the case (or if he was really convicted of a lesser count of something).

Thanks for trying, my friend!
Blessings,
Hms

[uncommon1]

If you know his first and last names and know where he was convicted, then you can go to the courthouse and look through the alphabetical index in the court clerk's office, usually in the criminal index, and find his case file, unless it's been sealed for some reason. It will also help if you know what year it was, but it may be on computer at the courthouse so you will be able to do a name search.

[HomeschoolrsRUs]

Okay, sadly, (with the help of a trusted friend), I have indeed found "something." I'm hoping the wonderful legal minds on this board will visit this thread and see if they can explain this term to me (so perhaps I will have a better understanding of this).

What does THIS mean?


Qualifying Offense(s):
Lewd, Lascivious Batt Cause Sex Act Victim <16 Years Old (Principal)

[Warlady]

It could mean anything from exposing himself in front of the 16 year old to making her touch him. I don't know what Batt is. Battery? I know a private dick that may can find out something on him if I had his name, address, driver's license number or SS#. You didn't give much info. How did you find that much? If you ask me I think you should tell your pastor that pedophiles DO NOT rehabilitate and that he should NOT allow this person back in unless he wants to expose your kids to danger. I doubt he would be watched 100% of the time. I mean it. I am deadly serious.

[HomeschoolrsRUs]

It could mean anything from exposing himself in front of the 16 year old to making her touch him. I don't know what Batt is. Battery? I know a private dick that may can find out something on him if I had his name, address, driver's license number or SS#. You didn't give much info. How did you find that much? If you ask me I think you should tell your pastor that pedophiles DO NOT rehabilitate and that he should NOT allow this person back in unless he wants to expose your kids to danger. I doubt he would be watched 100% of the time. I mean it. I am deadly serious.

Warlady, you can believe we are truly taking this seriously too. I have obtained a copy of the flyer you can get through the FDLE website (it has his picture on it too - if this is the same guy), and we will take it with us to church tomorrow. I want to hear this fellow's side of the story. I think we are going to allow our children to attend a fellowship with some friends of theirs and just Bubba and I will go to our church. I just don't know what the "actual" offense was, or I mean, what he did to get in trouble in the first place. I know there are a range of "infractions" that can fall under any number of categories, that's why the "Qualifying Offense" doesn't mean anything to me (doesn't shed any light on his actual actions).


I personally know the grown daughter of this man, and have known her for several years (she's a fellow homeschooler). I NEVER knew anything about her father (didn't even know he lived here in our vicinity). Her and her family are very fine people, and her husband is a wonderful man -- I can't imagine what this must be like for their family. I feel we need to at least listen to this man tomorrow, before we talk with the Pastor.

Thank you so much for your concern, and please do keep us in your prayers.

[SLD]

What does THIS mean?


Qualifying Offense(s):
Lewd, Lascivious Batt Cause Sex Act Victim <16 Years Old (Principal)

These are separate crimes (although they could all stem from one act). He engaged in lewd and lascivious behavior (generally exposing oneself), he assaulted someone (look like a child of < 16yo), and either raped her or had consensual sex with her (or him actually). All of these charges could come about because of having sex with an underage (you expose yourself and act lewdly if you have sex with a minor), and if you have sex with a minor you generally are committing battery since they are too young to consent to the sex.

Although, I am not completely sure, this looks like just what he was charged with. He could have been convicted of a lesser included offense or could have pled to something that is not a sexual crime. I would think that if he was found guilty of the above crimes then he would most assuredly be on your sex offender database which you said he wasn't. The court record is public record and you can review it. If it is older than a few years it is probably been put on microfilm and you will have to pay some to get it and make copies. Just talk with your local clerk's office - they should help you pull the file. They do it all the time for investigators. Also, investigators are a dime a dozen - if you don't want to draw attention to yourself, you can hire one for only a few hundred dollars to get all of the information from the court file and copy it for you.

SLD

[JonECat]

If you know someone with skip tracing skills you can pretty much dig up anything on anyone. I know the CBI (Colorado Bureau of Investigations) has criminal records posted on their website (for a price of course), and there are various private websites (Accurint, Lexis, Insightonline) that have that type of information.

I do skip tracing for a collections law firm and it's truly amazing some of the stuff you can get on people. CAVEAT: This information is not available to everybody, only those who are qualified, are working in the industry (as a lawyer, skip tracer, PI or otherwise) and who sign a waiver saying they will not misuse the information and will only use it for it's intended purpose. (No looking up old girlfriends :whistle: )