I know of a young man who’s life has been severely damaged due to current sex offender laws. His situation occurred only one (1) month after his 18th birthday, while he was still in high school. The girl was with her father when she met this particular young man at his place of employment and claimed to be 16.
Her father did not correct or otherwise dispute her claim (turns out she was only 14 at the time). She asked this young man for his phone number and then began calling him and setting up meetings. Eventually they had consensual sex. Once her mother found out, the police became involved. Dustin was called, by the girl, from the police station and told him she was pregnant (which she was not) but the reaction that was received was just what the police needed. Not the chance to have an attorney present, but self incrimination. Additionally, after the young man found out her true age, he ceased to have any contact with the girl (no phone calls or contact of any kind). This young man has now been in prison for almost 2 years. Once released, he will be a registered sex offender and his future has been crippled beyond repair. He must register for a minimum of 10 years after his release. He will be 30 years old before this can be put behind him to a degree. He will be a convicted felon (sex crime) for the rest of his life. I can’t imagine the limited job and/or career potential he now will have, even after his 30th birthday.
This young man had never smoked (anything), drank or did any type of drugs. He never even had a traffic ticket. This did not matter to the State….he is now considered a pervert. This young man is my son, he went from a carefree high school student to a convicted felon in a blink of an eye.
My bottom line question is, when will there be some repercussion for the “girls” when they lie or otherwise deceive the young men when they were just as culpable as the boys? These laws were enacted to protect society from the truly dangerous offenders. Not to destroy young men’s lives over a moment of passion that we have all experienced at one time or another. This law must be changed, and I will help make this happen. Until recently, I did not know that there were other parents who feel as strongly as we do about this miscarriage of justice.