More sex offenders compliant
A quick search of the Illinois Sex Offender Registry reveals that Robert James Minerly is 5-foot, 8-inches, weighs 200 pounds and sexually abused a 14-year-old when he was 19.
Now he’s 33 and is listed as being homeless in Crystal Lake.
But he hasn’t updated his information as required for the registry as of Friday. Red, capitalized letters indicate that he is non-compliant right under a picture of him taken in June.
As of Friday, that label appeared on eight of the 190 McHenry County sexual offenders listed on the registry. Three more were listed as “location unknown,” which means police officers have checked the listed address only to discover that they don’t live there.
The percentage of sex offenders who were non-compliant or at an unknown address in McHenry County dropped from 7.78 percent to 5.79 percent between the Northwest Herald’s last analysis of the registry in October 2007 and Friday.
That leaves McHenry County in the middle of the pack for overall compliance among collar counties. Lake County had the highest percentage not in compliance at 12.41 percent, while DuPage County had the lowest at 3.62 percent.
But being non-compliant doesn’t always mean a sex offender is flying off authorities’ radar. Two listed as non-compliant Friday in McHenry County – Minerly and Todd Luisi – were in jail Friday awaiting trial on more recent charges. Hugo Olvera was listed Friday as non-compliant, but the registry also indicated that he had been deported.
Local efforts
Police are required to confirm that sex offenders in their jurisdiction are living at their registered address at least once a year, although some agencies – such as the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office – do it more often.
Sheriff’s police also are developing maps that pin-point sex-offenders’ residences, as well as area schools, day cares and parks, Lt. Andy Zinke said. The map details whether the previous victims were adults or children, which could be helpful if a child is reporting missing. Also, deputies could check for registry compliance if they are in the area responding to an unrelated call.
Of the 15 or so offenders in McHenry County who live too close to a day care, park or school, four are within the sheriff’s jurisdiction. Zinke said sheriff’s personnel planned to send those people letters soon giving them 90 days to move to an appropriate location or to dispute the sheriff’s records.
“By far, the majority of [registered sex offenders] are very cooperative, and it’s not a problem,” Zinke said.
Crystal Lake police try to do their annual compliance checks in mid-summer so the registry is as accurate as possible when school starts, Deputy Chief Dennis Harris said. Sheriff’s police send area schools lists of sexual offenders living nearby at the beginning of every school year, Harris said.
If no one answers at a home were a sex offender has registered, Crystal Lake police leave a bright pink handtag on the door labeled “Sex Offender Verification.”
“People don’t like to see those hanging there, so they’re pretty good about giving us a call when they get home,” Harris said.
Homeless people are required to register weekly at a local police station, which can make enforcement difficult if they bounce between a few jurisdictions, Harris said.
Stiff penalties
Legislators have increased the groups of people required to register and the restrictions placed on them so much that the registry doesn’t always fulfill its original purpose, Woodstock defense attorney Dan Hofmann said. Most registered sex offenders do not commit more sex crimes after their first conviction, he said.
“Once they are in the system for any offense, be it relatively minor or extremely serious and disturbing, it’s the aim of government to keep them in the system to the greatest extent possible,” Hofmann said. “Law enforcement and prosecutors make no distinction between accidental oversight and people who are truly trying to hide and go out and commit more sex offenses.”
Failing to properly register is a felony that can lead to more prison time.
Woodstock police said Scott A. Joyner, 34, told them he was homeless in August when he was really living within 500 feet of Raintree Park. He pleaded guilty to unlawful violation of the sex offender registry Jan. 5 and was sentenced to two years in prison.
Minerly, the homeless Crystal Lake man listed as non-compliant, received 14 days in jail and a year of conditional discharge after he was convicted of a not promptly telling the sheriff’s office his new address in 2002. Then, he was sentenced to three years in prison for failing to report an address change in August 2005.
Now he’s facing another felony charge for allegedly violating the registration rules in August. While he was out on bond in that case in August, he allegedly tied a woman’s hands and neck and raped her at the Crystal Lake Motel.
Minerly has pleaded not guilty in both cases, which are next due in McHenry County court Wednesday.
But as a warning on the sex offender registry states, offenders are required to register solely based on their convictions, not on any official analysis of how likely they are to commit another sex crime. When looking at the registry, area residents should note the allegations involved and the age of the victim, said Zinke, of the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office.
“Everybody needs to check the Web site and know who’s living in the area,” Zinke said. “It’s the purpose of having it.”
Out-of-date information
Out-of-date information
Percent non-compliant
County or address unknown Total number
Lake 12.41 percent 588
Kane 9.19 percent 359
McHenry 5.79 percent 190
Will 5.37 percent 391
Kendall 4.92 percent 61
DuPage 3.62 percent 304