??'s about finding sex offenders

**Suzy** · 07-03-2008, 11:29 AM

There is a family living very close to us. 10 years ago the dad was arrested for an offense. We know that without a doubt because 1. he was arrested on a live news broadcast and 2. he is married to a very close family member. He went to jail. His dad posted bond for him. His parents have $$$$$$$$$$. We have been told that the family of the boy was paid off to keep things quiet. Needless to say, we are more than just cautious with our kids when he is around. Even at their age. But we can not find any listing of him on any site. Could his record have been wiped clean? If so, how and why? He was arrested. He went to jail. No court though because of the money thing. We have seen possible evidence. There has been proof of porn in his home. We have since heard of others that were "paid" to keep quiet. Why can't we find a record of anything? Even of his arrest. That is public, right?

**FreesiaE** · 07-03-2008, 01:47 PM

I'm not sure if arrest records are kept if he was not found guilty or pleaded guilty to a crime.

**G'MaDebbie** · 07-03-2008, 02:12 PM

I know that in Michigan you can go to the court house and look up on their computers any info on anyone. You have to pay if you want to print it out, but just to look is free. This information falls under the Freedom of Information Act.
If there was no court proceedings, it will be unlikely that you find anything on him. People can be arrested, but if there isn't any evidence to actually charge him with a crime, then he was more than likely set free and there will be no record.
Here is a national sex offender registry....if he was charged with any sex offense he will be on here. In the meantime, keep your children as far from him as possible...it only takes a second to cop a feel on someone, especially an innocent child.
http://www.nsopr.gov/

**janelane** · 07-03-2008, 02:12 PM

Are you looking on the sexual offenders sites? If he plead to a lesser charge that was not sexual, say just plain assault or maybe corruption of a minor, he wouldn't be listed there.

In MD there is a site through the courts that has a listing of every case in MD, even if one was found not guilty or their record was wiped. They even have traffic incidents on there for a few years. Do you have anything like that where you live?