Being told you’re required to register as a sex offender can be one of the most stressful things anyone could ever encounter. Nobody wants to earn such a title. It’s embarrassing, to say the least.
However, according to Megan’s Law, people in the United States who have committed a certain sex crime must be listed as a sex offender and able to be viewed by the public online with their personal information such as their full name, photograph, current street address, and the type of sex-related crime(s) they committed available.
Clearly, this is great news for parents and anyone else concerned about living near, casually interacting with, hiring, dating, or befriending a sex offender – or, heck, even allowing them to babysit their child. However, Megan’s Law can be the worst thing for someone who was wrongfully accused of engaging in a sex crime.
The Consequences of Being Deemed a Sex Offender
Just being called a sex offender alone, even if you didn’t actually commit a sex crime, can make you feel as if you’re bound to that title for life. And that’s not even the worst part about it.
Being registered as a sex offender can make it difficult to rent or purchase a home, find a long-term romantic partner, keep friends, or even land your dream job. People may even recognize you out in public from seeing you on the list and have some not-so-nice things to say to your face. Others may even go as far as to harass you or come to your house to “teach you a lesson.”
Generally speaking, it can be downright dangerous to be on the California sex offender list, especially for those who are truly innocent and don’t deserve to be present on that list.
Already Registered? It’s Not too Late to Get Help from a Criminal Defense Attorney
Do you believe your requirement to register on the sex offender registry list is unfair? Were you wrongfully accused of engaging in a sex-related crime that landed you on the sex offender list for California? Were you told that you’d be listed as a sex offender permanently or for a long period of time, when you believe you should be taken off the list much sooner given the nature of the crime you committed?
In either case, Attorney Lisa Mattern at the Mattern Law Firm might be able to help you get taken off this reputation-damaging, life-altering list.
Call Lisa today at 310-807-1263 to see how she can help you.