State: 'Romeo' may get off sex registry

TALLAHASSEE - There are dangerous sex offenders, and then there are young people in love.

There are 40-year-old men who prey on young children, and then there are 19-year-old guys and their 15-year-old girlfriends.

But Florida's sex offender registry laws don't differentiate between such cases. Moreover, a new federal law requires Florida juveniles found at fault in sex crimes to register - even if they weren't tried as adults.

That means sexually active teens in consensual relationships - dubbed "Romeo and Juliet" cases - can find themselves on the same registry as someone like John Couey, the Citrus County man recently sentenced to death for the 2005 rape and murder of 9-year-old Jessica Lunsford.

There are only a few hundred such cases among the 40,000 or so sex offenders on Florida's registry.

But the ramifications of being labeled a sex offender - public embarrassment, limitations on where they can live and work - are serious enough that lawmakers have spent weeks working on a fix.

"I have a real concern that we're doing things that are ruining some people's lives," said Sen. Evelyn Lynn, R-Ormond Beach. "I mean, we all have children, and we know things can happen with teenagers."

Lynn and other lawmakers are trying to create a way for the Romeos and Juliets to get taken off the sex offender registry once they complete their court-ordered sanctions.

One proposal to be considered today by the Senate Criminal Justice Committee would allow juveniles and young adults to petition a judge for removal from the registry as long as the sexual act was consensual, and involving someone at least 14 years old and no more than four years younger.

The provision, for example, would apply to a 14-year-old and an 18-year-old, or a 15-year-old with a 19-year-old.

A similar House bill making its way toward the floor would allow young offenders to get off the list as long as their sexual partner was between 13 and 16, and no more than four years younger.

Under Florida law, it's currently a second-degree felony for anyone past his or her 18th birthday to have sex with someone who is younger than 16. In most consensual cases, the age never becomes an issue because the case isn't reported to authorities.

But all it takes is an angry parent who decides to press charges against his daughter's older boyfriend, and suddenly a young man with promise gets the worst kind of label, prosecutors say.

"The law is what the law is," said State Attorney Bill Cervone, whose circuit includes Gainesville. "In many cases, you do have a parent who literally is screaming bloody murder about what is going on."

"If they were young offenders, there's got to be a way to take them off the list," said Sen. Jim King, R-Jacksonville. "Who amongst us, thinking back in the days when we were 19 or so, weren't caught up in something? I mean, that could have been me!"

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by teresa	03/06/08 09:31 PM
My husband was put on ther registry had no i dea the girl was underage she was in the bar but still because the act took place he is on the registry this was before i met him years ago this happened and we cant live in peace he has 4 years to long

by Jennifer	02/26/08 09:42 AM
My childrens father is on the registry and we need help ! He is a good man and a good father.. He was 18 when convicted of statatory rape and the young lady was 15. This has ruined his life and he does not deserve it. How can i fight this?

by Katie	11/08/07 07:10 PM
Young kids should off the list because we send them to school together everyday and think that our children don't have feelings and is not showing them in a manner of sex. Who's to say they weren't doing it with others before you found out! THEN WHAT

by Lynn	09/09/07 10:10 AM
This law was passed,Anthony Croce of St. Petersburg is the only person so to qualify for removal from the registry. The law went into effect July allows a judge to remove the sex offender. The only problem is I have found no paper work to file, Help

by Christina	09/06/07 01:15 PM
My husband now, was dating a girl for 2 years. Parents didn't even turn him in they got caught on the beach together buy an officer. Now this is ruining our lives. He just got arrested today because he wasn't living at his registered address.

by Lisa	09/04/07 12:08 AM
I know an 18 yr old who broke up w/ his 15 yr old girlfriend who got her "revenge" by pressing charges, while admitting that is was all consensual, and him getting 1 yr 1 day in prison w/ 18 mths. coummunity control & 6 yrs. prob. No justice in FL!

by kathy	08/19/07 05:56 PM
if one is to be punished, why not punish BOTH! Why is only the oldes one to pay the price for something that took two people to be involved in?

by phyllis	08/19/07 05:55 PM
this should have read with the 4 yr difference OR by a judge's decision! Not requiring both age and judge to be met!

by sam	07/19/07 07:39 PM
did this law go through? if so why aren't they telling the offenders who it applies to? My husband was charged in a romeo and juliet case 6 years ago, and we've been wanting a way off it for a long time now. all the registry does is mess up lives

by Lisa	05/03/07 10:15 PM
This is a moral issue, consenual sex. Sex offender guidelines need to be created with age considerations, if consenual, between offender and victim. There should be levels like 1st degree, second degree, third degree. 1st degree - All forced

by layla	05/03/07 09:35 PM
my husband went through the same thing. Does anyone know if this has went into effect?

by leigh	04/30/07 09:49 AM
A neighbor son went thru this, he dated this girl for 2yrs in which he turned 18. He broke up with her, and she had her revenge by claiming he raped her he cant become a sherrif which he was going to school for, he cant volunteer at his son school

by DX	04/30/07 12:40 AM
I think this is a wonderful thing. Its so unfair for kids to have to deal with the double sentence that is imposed on them for laws that were / are designed for adults praying on kids not kids still in school.

by Edward	04/29/07 04:28 PM
What if a girl says that she is 16 and she is 12 and 2 weeks shy of 13 and the suspect is 18 and he believed that the girl was 16 but it is not a defense and because of this he is a sex offender, do you think this is fair?

by b	04/18/07 02:41 PM
alot of girls put themselves out there to be something they are not and alot of lives are ruined women i talk to say it was it was cool to have the older boyfriend when they were in there teens people on these lists are dead to the world prey forthem

by bert	04/18/07 02:28 PM
i think test should be performed on sex offenders to find out if they are a sex offender who will repeat.there is a diifrence between a sex offender and someone with early morning remorse.

by Randall (Sex Offender)	04/17/07 01:47 AM
I have been dealing with haveing to register for the last 8 years of my life, It does not bother me that I have to,I accepted that long ago, what bothers me is, I am homeless and cant get a place to live because I am labled as a perv. and I'm not.

by JOHN	04/11/07 09:46 PM
THE TRUTH IS 22% OF ALL SEXUAL OFFENDERS LISTED HAVE HAD CONSENSUAL SEX. WE LIVE IN A SOCIETY WHO IN 2007 STATES THAT THE BIRTH RATE OF UNWED MOTHERS FROM AGE 12 YEARS AND UP ARE NOW AT THERE ALL TIME HIGH. SCHOOLS TEACH SAFE SEX ANDWE PUNISH THEM.

by lorie	04/10/07 11:52 PM
I have been trying for almost 5 years to get some division. Since my son has been through this. Now he sits in prison for the next 6 years and has 15 years sex offender probation all because of that situtation and because of jessicas bill

by Dawn	04/08/07 02:56 PM
I think its all rubbish to lable someone after they done their sentence. If its anywhere from 3-5 years difference in age, whats the harm as long as its consentual? Not only does it ruin the rest of their lives, but they have limited places to live,

by JT	04/08/07 10:34 AM
Not So Fast.Parents of both boys&girls have a responsiblity for their actions until 18.Before then legal consent/contracts cannot be entered into.Regardless of who has "doneit" before 18 they legally shouldn't have and took a lot of risk several ways

by Diane	04/08/07 09:31 AM
I see plenty of posts from moms and wives of the men labled. How about this. Most girs who are 14/15 are not sophisticated enough to say no to their friends, let alone a boy she likes. Tell them to keep it in their pants and stick to their own age

by Anon	04/08/07 09:21 AM
When I was 15, I had a 19 yr. old boyfriend. He should be on that list. He's a serial rapist, but the MA police didn't care. Please think about this as he ruined several lives. It took me better than 15 years to come out of it and be me again!!!

by tj	04/08/07 08:04 AM
Still not good enough. "consensual" could be a matter of if the two parted amicably. I still feel that the age should be enough to exempt.My boys only date girls older than themselves. Saves headaches later on.Still too much power in Juliet's hands!

by tammy	04/05/07 08:46 PM
I have a 17 yr old son, who's life is going to be runied when he turns 18 for making a mistake and taking the punishment and never letting him forget it. he doesnt think he has a furture anymore. and im starting to wonder the same.

by Linda	03/28/07 10:16 PM
I know someone on the registry for a longtime(about 20 years). I have seen what being linked with true predators like Couey has affected his ability to find employment and live a peaceful life.

by David	03/26/07 11:38 AM
My brother's life has been turned upside down due to an angry father attempting to break up a relationship between a 19 year old and a 15 year old. The Term predator can change a persons life. I hope for the day when he will be rid of this label.

by Diane	03/26/07 10:05 AM
To Kristen what Diane meant was he has been on the list for over 10 years we dont know where to go lawyers are not aggressive enough for these cases and it could also be he says she says in a lot of cases, very sad thank you Mrs Sen. Lynn keep at it.

by Kristen	03/24/07 10:17 AM
I just wanted to make a comment to Dianne. You think it's 10 yrs, that's what my fiance was told, 12 yrs later we find out it's for life. Where do we go from here??What can we do?lawyers?court?rallies?Who do we go to?

by Diane M Thurber	03/22/07 11:15 PM
My son's life is ruined because he is on the registry for 10 years He was 19 and she 15 and got mad at him they never even had sex.Just touching, she disappeared and he is paying for the rest of his registry life

by Shirley	03/22/07 03:33 PM
Sex offender registries were never meant to list this type of "crime" The registry is meant to protect the public from predators. Don't ruin a young person's life for a mistake in judgement.

by Pam	03/22/07 02:25 PM
My son's life has been totally destroyed because he was 18 and had consentual sex with a 14 yo girl. Her Father knew about it but didn't press charges until months later. He has been in jail and on probation for 5 years.

by Brainard	03/21/07 08:20 PM
Teens can not give consent, legally, to sex or surgery. Many victims of abuse give "assent" because of the lies and pretenses of the perpetrator. There is a huge difference between a 19yo boy and a 15yo girl. Romeo was 15, Juliet was 14, they married

by Deb	03/21/07 06:42 PM
It is about time someone realized there is a difference between offenders and predators. Consent means giving permission or agreeing too. To many young lives have been ruined by that stupid law. Hurray for Evelyn Lynn.

by frank	03/21/07 05:33 PM
I think that is a good idea. There is no point in destroying a young persons life for something like this. Once you do your punishment you should be allowed to move on with your life.

Politics

'Romeo' may get off sex registry