Families of SOs Community Group

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WorriedSickMD 09/19/2011

My husband Pled guilty on Friday to one count of sexual solicitation of a minor. In Maryland that would carry a 10yr prison term and 25yr on the sex offender registry. The DA agreed to No prison (all 10yrs served with 3yrs probation) and never mentioned the registry.

He will be sentenced on November 10th. The judge we received seemed extremely lenient with the other people he was sentencing or accepting pleas from on Friday. We will have that same judge for sentencing on November 10th. Husbands attorney is going to ask for Probation before Judgement with 3yrs probation and no registry and see if we can get that. If not husband may have to registry during his probation time but if he is fine during that time he can ask to be removed from the registry in 3yrs so we are being told. IF he is granted the PBJ we are also being told he can write to have this expunged from his record after the probation period.

God I hope this is true because I just want this entire nightmare to be OVER!

honestwitness 09/19/2011

Thanks for sharing, MD. My son has his plea hearing in two days. We've been agonizing toward this for a year and a half and now the day of judgement is at hand. He is in major turmoil over this. He told his attorney last week that he would plead guilty to one count of non-forcible sexual abuse of a minor and take the Alford plea on the same charge involving a second child. These charges are bloated and beyond what he actually did. He says what he actually did was a misdemeanor, but the child accused him of more than he claims he did. He knows a jury would never believe him, so he feels he has no other choice than to plead guilty. But he HATES having to plead guilty to something he didn't do.

deleted_user 09/19/2011

I can so identify with you both on plea deals. My son had to perjure himself in a plea agreement as the girl who accused him said he had sexual contact with her after his 18th birthday. The only contact he ever had with her was a kissing session when he was 17 and they went to the same high school. However, but to avoid prison, he had to plead guilty to their charges because we didn't have the money to pay a lawyer to fight it. Worried, I hope it all comes out positive for you and your husband. Honest, I have been where you are and it is heartbreaking to stand and watch your child plead guilty to something he didn't do. What happened to the truth, due process and justice, as if I need to ask.

deleted_user 09/19/2011

MD... I dont want to sound negative..... but the Judge is mandated to follow Fed guidelines with these cases. Don't be surprised ....... be prepared.... for the worst...... then you will be better at the end of the day. I feel your pain, more than you could ever know...... God be with you.

We need to get the Federal Government out of our local court rooms. Each community in America deserves to vote in the Judges of their choice and take care of their local issues the way they want.

deleted_user 09/19/2011

http://youtu.be/76hYJqwN96Y

Check out my video, you will see I know your pain.

PeaceN2You 09/21/2011

My son pleaded guilty and also perjured himself in order to do so. We didn't have the money for a lawyer and his public defender, as it turned out, was the president of the local bar association. Yeah. Really. Think they all went out to lunch after and congratulated themselves on having put away another "predator"? Yep.

He can't find a job, will be on the registry for at least 10 years - they have already changed the law once and upped it from five years - and has been denied entry into four colleges. If he didn't have a wife who has (so far) stood by him he'd either be back with us at age 32 or homeless - all for one ill-advised conversation in a chat room.

I wouldn't advise anyone to plead guilty but I've heard the horror stories and after our experience I definitely understand why people make that decision - they scared him sh**less with the potential for a 25-year sentence and he didn't feel like he had a choice.

I feel for everybody who is in this position.

deleted_user 09/21/2011

If you husband was soliciting it means he attempted to act with consent.

He sought the consent of another person, treating them as an equal.

this means he is non-violent, non-coercive.

There is no nightmare as far as I am concerned but in a sick society, they will continue the nightmare for ever just for fun.

WorriedSickMD 09/22/2011

He actually never asked her to meet him nor solicit her. He had a facebook chat converstation with her that basically he told her things he liked to do to women after her asking about sexual related things. Because it was not porn. The only "label" they can give it is Sexual Solicitation of a Minor. None of this situation is fair and just. I just want the nightmare to be over and we can move on But that will not happen because in Maryland we learned that this particular charge carries a 25yr registration and my husband is 41 so that basically means for the rest of his life. Our girls are 9 and 4 they will never be able to have anyone visit our home and will live with this the rest of there childhood.

deleted_user 09/23/2011

WorriedSickMC

It looks to me like he did not solicit, but if her profile said she was of a certain age and they spoke of sexual things the DA may have been able to apply the law.

The nightmare will never be over unless we recognize who the monster really is and turn and fight it.

deleted_user 09/23/2011

PeaceN2You:

does your son have a particular skill or specialty?

Maybe there is someone here who needs that skill.

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