My husband was arrested fifteen years ago for a Non-contact offense. His time has been completed, service rendered. He moved up north, from Florida, after time completed. We met not long after he relocated, fell in love, and married that year.
The property we were to share our lives on was set in a small town in Ohio that has been in my family for years. He followed rules and registered at the local sheriffs office only to find the property to be 86 feet shy of the 1000 foot rule from a school. The property is five acres and the house over 1000 feet from the school, but they determined the distance from the property line not the home. He had to find another place to live, pack and leave. This unjust law just separated two newlyweds.
He located a trailer park two miles away, relocated there, and then registered it with local police. I had informed my husband of my medical condition when we met, that I have heart disease and three stints along with other medical conditions. Due to my condition I could not tend to all chores/repairs on the five acre property. My husband said he would be more then happy to run the tractor and do household repairs. He did visit me on the property (Ohio law, at the time, could not prevent him from visiting) and I would visit at his trailer.
One day when he was here, right after mowing the lawn, the local deputies came to the door asking for him. That is when he was arrested for failing to register his address, a felony. The law claimed he was not living at the trailer park he registered under. After getting a loan he was let out on bail, we then hired an attorney. He then presented proof to the police. He presented them with the dated rent receipt that was given to him the day prior to his arrest. They would not believe him and would not drop charges.
On the date of his court presentation we were speaking with the attorney, which would exit a couple times to speak with the prosecuting attorney, prior to the trial that my husband insisted on. The attorney returned saying he got the charges down to "Attempted to fail registration" which was a misdemeanor. My husband said "NO I am innocent". That is when I looked at him with tears running and said: "Honey, I know your right but..my heart, I cant take much more of this". That is when, for the sake of my health, he bit the bullet and took the offer. He then paid the fines and completed the community service he was required to do in that county of Ohio. There are many eyes and ears in this small town and we found it was the people down the road that called the law, out of fear, just because they saw him there.
My husband and I spoke..he would leave first and I would follow. He notified the law, then relocated to Florida. From time to time I must travel up north to handle matters. The previous trip to Ohio is when I had some health problems. I had a heart attack and It was found that three arteries were blocked, my cardiologist ordered a angioplasty. It was rough but after some time, and extra attempts, they were cleared. Since we met I had other heart stints placed but this surgery made heart stint #14 and #15..and my husband could not be there with me. He could not stay on our property nor did we have the money for a hotel/motel. Even if we did I fear him being up there. I'm scared to death that he may be arrested by the same county sheriff (Whom was out for blood the first time). I was released from the hospital but was back in the next day for severe pain. We were both in tears daily over this.
I would not doubt that some of my heart stints that needed to be inserted, along with my heart attack, were based on the pressure we both have gone through because of the sex offender registry and draconian laws that cause harm to millions of registrant family members. When we married the words of Matthew 19:6 were spoken. But that does not mean anything to the ones that make these unjust laws that not only harm registrants, but innocent family members of registrants as well!
This sex offender registry must be abolished!
