Mistaken sex offender

11-16-2012 Utah:

The sex offender registry is designed to protect you and your family from sexual predators; it's a valuable tool, keeping you informed. But what happens if you end up on that registry, not because you're a sex offender but by mistake.

For Iftikhar Khan, of Pleasant Grove, Utah, it began with a letter from the state of Utah, and immediately, his jaw dropped. “I've been identified as a sex offender by some outside source.” That outside source is the state of Maine.

In late September, Maine authorities were trying to locate a man who committed a sex crime in Houlton in 1989. A person who needs to register as a sex offender and they thought they've found him in Utah. The problem is, Khan was on active duty in Greece at the time. And though their names and birthdays are similar, they are not a perfect match.

So what happened? According to authorities in both Maine and Utah. Maine investigators had found Iftikhar Khan on-line, pulled details like his social security number from Utah's database then forwarded it back to Utah as their missing sex offender. Utah then put khan on its own registry, No questions asked, and only notified him afterwards.

A spokesperson for the Maine attorney general's office, Brenda Kielty, declined to speak on camera but gave details to News 13. She says after hearing from Khan, Utah agreed to suspend his name from the registry, while Maine asked Khan to send his fingerprints to cross-check with the missing sex offender. Khan did, they didn't match and both Maine and Utah then cleared his name, But only after he'd hired lawyers, and was publicly listed as a sex offender for an agonizing four days.

Maine officials acknowledge their role in this case of mistaken identity but insist the same mistake would not have happened in reverse. They say it's their policy to always notify someone in writing before putting their name on the sex offender registry, giving that person a chance to dispute the claims in advance. And, in fact, Utah just changed its policies to do the same to avoid repeating what they told our Utah affiliate, was a very serious error.

His name was up there wrongly and that's concerning, of course. This is the first time anyone working over there on the sex offender registry has heard about that happening. As for Khan, he's glad to be cleared but still angry, and wondering if he's alone in all of this.

Officials in Maine and Utah insist, this is an isolated case and one, both states say, won't happen again. ..Source.. by WGME13.com

No new jail time in Hopewell sex offender hit-and-run case

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10-17-2011 Virginia:

HOPEWELL _ A 20-year-old man accused of trying to run over a convicted sex offender as he fled on a moped entered a plea today that calls for no additional jail time, an agreement that was angrily denounced by the victim.

Daniel R. Narron of Hopewell pleaded guilty in Hopewell Circuit Court to attempted unlawful wounding, a felony, and to disorderly conduct and hit and run, both misdemeanors.

Approving the terms of the agreement, Judge Samuel E. Campbell sentenced Narron to five years for the felony and 12 months for each misdemeanor charge, but the judge suspended all of the jail time. Narron, who has spent about 11 months in jail, was expected to be released today.

Also today, three co-defendants entered pleas to misdemeanor charges of disorderly conduct and failure to report an accident. Each was convicted and told the charges would be dismissed after one year if the defendants remain on good behavior.

Those defendants are Damon J. Silvestro of Colonial Heights and Eric B. Harris and Thomas W. McCall, both of Hopewell.

After today’s proceedings, the victim in the case, Rudolph Ellis, 54, criticized the plea agreement for Narron, saying, “I was running for my life. That young man tried to kill me. This whole thing is a joke.”

Ellis also excoriated the Hopewell Police Department, saying they refused to pursue an investigation and that officers had harassed him.

Hopewell Commonwealth’s Attorney Rick Newman said after the hearing that he turned over the investigation to Virginia State Police because “the police department didn’t do anything.”

Wayne County family posts sex offender warning signs after claiming neighbor attacked their child

6-21-2011 Ohio:

RITTMAN, Ohio - They are warning signs that have caused quite a stir in the usually quiet town of Rittman.

The signs read, "Beware, a sex offender lives close." Some residents are extremely upset about the signs, urging city officials to have them taken down.

The signs were made out of large pieces of plywood and spray paint by concerned father Mike Sayre.

Sayre made the signs six weeks ago, after he claimed his 8-year-old daughter was sexually assaulted by a neighbor. But some residents living near Sayre's home said the signs are creating a panic and are damaging to property values.

"I'm just trying to protect my kids, and other children in the neighborhood," said Sayre. "My signs are 100 percent legal. I don't name anybody, it's a public warning."

Still, some neighbors have turned to the Chippewa Township Trustees, who are now trying to determine if the warning signs are a violation of any township regulations.

Rachelle Sayre supports her husband and the signs posted in all parts of their front and backyard.

"We're trying to warn them, we don't want this to happen to their children," said Sayre. "He could do this to any child in this neighborhood.

5 On Your Side contacted the Wayne County Prosecutor's office, and it has pledged to increase the number of resources committed to the ongoing investigation.

The neighbor involved in this case has been questioned by the Wayne County Sheriff's Department, but has not been charged.

Wayne County Children Services is also looking into the case, and is helping the Sayre family with counseling.

The Chippewa Township Trustees still aren't sure if the signs will need to come down.

"It's no different than going to the Wayne County sex offender website and searching for somebody," said Sayre. "I have no plans to take them out of my yard." ..Source.. by Joe Pagonakis, newsnet5.com