Connecticut requires sex offenders to register after they are released from prison. To register, they must provide their name, address, email address and any online accounts they may have.
They also need to submit their criminal records. The Connecticut sexual offender registry keeps track of a sex offender’s criminal history and updates the database when they move.
Defendant WOODFIN
The State of Connecticut’s sexual offender registry is open to the public and requires that an individual be publicly identified if he or she is charged with a sex crime. Defendant Woodfin, 62, was arrested in 2015 and pleaded not guilty. He faces up to 10 years in prison, $250,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release. The United States is prosecuting the case with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service. He plead not guilty to the charges and is currently in detention.
While Woodfin has never committed a crime against a child, the ordinance has limited his ability to enter parks and public areas that children frequent. While the town minutes acknowledge that child safety is a concern, they do not conclusively point to child safety as its primary purpose.
Defendant JOHN WOODFIN
The United States alleges that Defendant John Woodfin violated the Connecticut sexual offender registry by abusing a minor. Woodfin is currently in custody and faces ten years in prison, $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. He has pleaded not guilty.
The state’s ordinance bars sex offenders from public parks, which are often frequented by children. While the ordinance may protect citizens from sexual predators, it lacks narrow tailoring and prohibits innocent activities. Some activities are protected under the First Amendment and are therefore not subject to such restrictions.
Defendant James Heeney
The Connecticut sexual offender registry lists the names of those who have committed various crimes. However, just because a person is on this list does not necessarily mean that they will not commit crimes in the future. All states have laws that prevent individuals from violating these laws. If someone violates these laws, they will face criminal and civil prosecution.
In the case of Defendant James Heeney, it was alleged that he had violated his probation by viewing nudist photos without permission. Moreover, Heeney admitted downloading more than 100 child pornography photos from the internet. This was an illegal activity, and he was sentenced to 50 months in prison for the crime. He was released from prison in February 2012 after serving his sentence.
Defendant Thomas Gagnon
The Connecticut Sexual Offender Registry has listed Gagnon as a convicted felon. Gagnon is on the registry because he posed as a police officer in 1987 and sexually assaulted a female motorist. He also received a criminal history that included several convictions for illegal use of a uniform. In 2004, Stamford police went to Gagnon’s home to investigate another case and noticed that Gagnon had a disguised personal vehicle and several medieval-type axes.
Gagnon was required to register as a sex offender when he moved to Maine. The federal government had passed SORNA at the time Gagnon moved to Maine, as part of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006. SORNA was intended to establish a nationwide network of sex offender registration programs and improve enforcement of sex offender registration requirements.
Defendant DiNardo
The Connecticut sexual offender registry lists Defendant DiNardo as a Level 3 offender. DiNardo was convicted of sexual assault in Connecticut on May 19, 1989. He had offered a 14-year-old boy money to have sex. The victim alerted a trusted adult and his father, who then notified law enforcement.
The DESPP also notifies local police departments, state police troop, and the school district of a person’s conviction for a sex offense. This notification typically takes the form of an email. It includes the same information as the public registry.
Connecticut’s sexual offender registry is a database that makes a person’s personal information available to the public. Several laws – including Megan’s Law – require public access to this information. While some states choose to not expose information on lower-risk offenders, the state requires that all sex offenders have their information made public.