One strike law perhaps?
A former Clark County educator, convicted of sex crimes against a student, is in trouble with the law again.
Timothy Mattern is accused of inappropriately contacting an underage girl 146 times in four days. (this is the obsessive trait I talked about before)
Mattern was convicted of sexual battery against a student eight years ago, and now authorities believe that he was traveling down a similar path with another young girl.
Phyllis Locke of Clark County said, “I’m appalled that we have someone in this community that continues to mess with our children.”
Parents in Clark County are angered to learn that Mattern, a Tier II sex offender, is accused of inappropriate contact with another young girl.
Mattern, a former counselor and coach, was convicted in 2001 of sexual battery against a student at Shawnee High School. He served three years in jail and was forced to register as a sex offender. (only 3 years!)
In August, parents of another young girl got a protection order against Mattern, claiming that he was in an inappropriate relationship with their daughter.
Sheriff Gene Kelly said, “He continued to violate that order and in a period of five days he made more than 140 calls and texts to this female child.”
Prosecutors charged Mattern with five counts of violating a protection order, each day that he contacted her.
Sheriff Kelly said Mattern met the girl at different school and church functions. He said his office is especially concerned because the case is looking a lot like the first one.
“He’s following the same pattern as the previous conviction. So we are trying to keep this man away from the child,” Kelly said.
Parents like Locke said this incident proves how adults have to take an active role in their children’s lives.
Locke said, “You have to step up and be in school and know who your kids are around."
Kelly said the investigation is still open and very active. Depending on what detectives learn about the relationship between Mattern and the juvenile, more charges could be filed.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Sex offender arrested, accused of abducting 9-year-old girl on way to school
A sex offender kidnapped a 9-year-old girl as she walked to a bus stop last week, held her at knife-point and kept her tied up in a closet before releasing her unharmed hours later, according to court documents obtained Saturday.
An arrest affidavit said Charles Eugene Butcher, 42, put a knife to the girl's throat shortly after the kidnapping Thursday morning along Brodie Lane in South Austin and told her that he would cut her if she didn't stop screaming.
Police said that Butcher appeared to have randomly selected the girl and that it remained unclear Saturday what prompted her release.
According to public records and published reports, Butcher was convicted in September 1995 in Ohio of abduction and received parole in 2004 with special conditions that he not be around children.
An arrest affidavit said Charles Eugene Butcher, 42, put a knife to the girl's throat shortly after the kidnapping Thursday morning along Brodie Lane in South Austin and told her that he would cut her if she didn't stop screaming.
Police said that Butcher appeared to have randomly selected the girl and that it remained unclear Saturday what prompted her release.
According to public records and published reports, Butcher was convicted in September 1995 in Ohio of abduction and received parole in 2004 with special conditions that he not be around children.
DayCare Concerned About Neighboring Sex Offender
Mercer worries that the future of her registered home day care could be in jeopardy because Kevin Stanley-- a convicted sex offender-- moved into the home across the street in June.
Court records show Stanley was forced to move out of his former home in St. Albans as a probation condition after he was convicted of exposing himself to two neighborhood children and peeping into the windows of a teenage girl next door.
So Mercer was shocked when she learned Stanley had the permission of his probation officer to move into her neighborhood. She says the probation officer told her he drove through the neighborhood and saw little sign of any children, but she wonders how he could have missed the play sets behind almost every home, and state websites that show 40 school kids reside here and there are two home day cares services including hers.
"I have to have fire extinguishers; I have to have a number of exits; I have to have a certain training: all these things to keep the children safe. And then they don't keep me or the children safe by allowing somebody to move across the street like that," Mercer said.
Court records show Stanley was forced to move out of his former home in St. Albans as a probation condition after he was convicted of exposing himself to two neighborhood children and peeping into the windows of a teenage girl next door.
So Mercer was shocked when she learned Stanley had the permission of his probation officer to move into her neighborhood. She says the probation officer told her he drove through the neighborhood and saw little sign of any children, but she wonders how he could have missed the play sets behind almost every home, and state websites that show 40 school kids reside here and there are two home day cares services including hers.
"I have to have fire extinguishers; I have to have a number of exits; I have to have a certain training: all these things to keep the children safe. And then they don't keep me or the children safe by allowing somebody to move across the street like that," Mercer said.
Robert Swoopes Seen Near School Bus Stop
Bellevue police said a registered sex offender was arrested Friday morning after a confrontation with police officers.
Police said they responded to a report that Swoopes had been hanging around a school bus stop. They said when they went to Swoopes’ home to talk to him, Swoopes drove off in his car.
Swoopes was part of a story earlier this week on KETV NewsWatch 7. Parents of children at Bellevue’s Leonard Lawrence elementary school were concerned because Swoopes was seen on the school’s property.
Police said they responded to a report that Swoopes had been hanging around a school bus stop. They said when they went to Swoopes’ home to talk to him, Swoopes drove off in his car.
Swoopes was part of a story earlier this week on KETV NewsWatch 7. Parents of children at Bellevue’s Leonard Lawrence elementary school were concerned because Swoopes was seen on the school’s property.
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Court: Schools can ban sex offenders
School boards — not judges — have the final say about whether violent sex offenders or anyone else comes onto school property, according to a Supreme Court of Virginia opinion handed down Friday.
The opinion, which was written by Justice Barbara Milano Keenan, reverses a decision from the Charlottesville Circuit Court allowing a sex offender to come onto Charlottesville public school property under certain conditions.Stacy Haney, a Richmond-based lawyer who represents the city’s School Board, said school supervision is vested in local school boards under the state’s Constitution. Haney said the Supreme Court’s opinion would be far-reaching.
Under state code, sexually violent offenders are prohibited from entering public or private school or daycare center property unless they attend the school, vote there or have a court order.
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