As suspected, a Lessley family member was arrested in the arson of registrant's home in Robinwood

The relationship between Jessie, Jeb and Jessica Lessley aren't mentioned but I did call it, I said a member of the Lessleys were involved, and lo and behold, here's a member of the Lessley family arrested for arson.

https://jeffcosheriff.net/news/robinwood-man-arrested-for-arson/

18 AUGUST
Robinwood Man Arrested for Arson
By Sheriff's Office | Posted in Arrest News Update

Birmingham, AL 08/18/2017

35-year-old Jessie Lessley of Robinwood was arrested for arson.

Just after 6:00 pm on July 31, deputies responded to a report of a house fire in the 400 block of 10th Street in Robinwood. It was reported that Lessley had been seen running from the rear of the home shortly before the fire broke out. No one was home at the time of the fire and the home appeared to have been vacant for some time. There was no natural gas or power service to the home.

Sheriff’s detectives requested the State Fire Marshall conduct a determination of the cause and origin of the fire. It was learned that the fire had been intentionally set.

On August 14, detectives obtained an arrest warrant for Jessie Lessley charging him with Arson 2nd Degree. A deputy familiar with the case spotted Lessley walking in Robinwood on August 16 and arrested him.

Lessley posted $15,000 bond for the charge of Arson 2nd Degree and was released pending court proceedings.

ACTION ALERT-- Coming this Saturday to the Alexander City Outlook-- Naming, shaming, and intimidating Registered Citizens

UPDATE: Derek Logue, founder of ReFORM-AL, was interviewed by the Alex City Outlook and may be in an article accompanying the article announced below. As of 9/13/15 we are awaiting the release of the paper.

I am adding the contact info below so you can voice your concerns to the Alexander City Outlook, who plans on publishing the names of every Registered Citizen in the area in its Saturday paper. You know this disgusting act will lead to more violence and discrimination about registered persons and their loved ones. 

http://www.alexcityoutlook.com/2015/09/07/coming-saturday-does-a-sex-offender-live-near-you/

COMING SATURDAY: Does a sex offender live near you?
Published 7:10am Monday, September 7, 2015
Does a sex offender live near you?

It seems like a question that we should all know the answer to. But despite some of the toughest reporting laws in the country and easy access to sex-offender data via the Internet, most people simply don’t take the time to check.

The state feels so strongly, that it requires offenders to register every 90 days.

An informal survey conducted by The Outlook showed that more people had looked at the names of those listed as Ashley Madison users than had visited the Tallapoosa County Sheriff’s Department Sex Offender Registry.

There are 152 registered sex offenders in Tallapoosa County, according to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. That means that one in 270 residents in our county is a sex offender. Looking at the numbers city-by-city, the numbers are even more staggering.

To help raise awareness, The Outlook will publish the names and photos of all the sex offenders in next weekend’s paper.

If you want to be aware, pick up a copy of the Sept. 12 Outlook.

Here is the contact info for the Alex City Outlook. Feel free to let them know what you thunk.

Phone:
(256) 234-4281

Fax:
(256) 234-6550

Address:
548 Cherokee Road, Alexander City, AL 35010

Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 999, Alexander City, AL 35011

Kenneth Boone
Publisher
kenneth.boone@alexcityoutlook.com

Mitch Sneed
Managing Editor
mitch.sneed@alexcityoutlook.com

A look at how police keep track of sex offenders

The real headline is how Alabama harasses people needlessly:

http://www.fox10tv.com/dpp/news/mobile_county/keeping-sex-offenders-in-check


A look at how police keep track of sex offenders
Updated: Wednesday, 16 May 2012, 4:59 PM CDT
Published : Tuesday, 15 May 2012, 5:15 PM CDT


Paige Malone
MOBILE COUNTY, Ala. (WALA) - Once a person is convicted as a sex offender the label dictates where they live, work and who they live with.


But, how do we know they are obeying the law?


FOX10 News reporter Paige Malone rode along with the Mobile County Sheriff's Office to find out.


Paul Uffmann spent Tuesday knocking on doors and ringing door bells. He was checking on sex offenders.


Some of those on his list include two men convicted of sex crimes where the victim was less than 4 years old. 


Uffmann is part of the volunteer corps, a group of deputized volunteers that help the sheriff’s office with tasks such as this.


Sheriff Sam Cochran says it saves the county money and countless man hours.


As a sex offender, you have a restricted lifestyle, and you have to register where you live and other personal information to make sure you are following the law.


Uffmann asks the sex offender to verify the information they have and talks to neighbors to get a second verification.


In one case, the sex offender was not living where they had registered. The woman at the house said it is because a 7-month-old child was now staying at the home. Uffman notes this and reports it to the deputy in charge.


Because the V-corps come unannounced, it’s not uncommon the offender won’t be home. In that situation, a piece of paper is left behind telling the offender to contact the sheriff’s office as soon as possible.


"We want to make sure they know were contacting them that we are doing what is required by law and we want to make sure they live there so they'll call us back within 5 days," Said Uffmann.


The V-Corps also lets neighbors know when a sex offender moves into a neighborhood.


"Well check with the neighbors and say look can you helps us? Will you let us know if you see any children around this house or will you let us know if this sex offender moves from the neighborhood or if you see something that appears to be improper?” said Cochran.


Cochran says these tips are a big part of keeping sex offenders away from possible victims.

Madison County Spring Cleaning is huge operation to verify sex offenders

This article makes me sick. The cops are destroying families. Notice how they bring the big guns for a simple compliance check. I guess there must be no real crime in Alabama at the moment.

http://blog.al.com/breaking/2012/04/madison_county_spring_cleaning.html


'Madison County Spring Cleaning' is huge operation to verify sex offenders
Published: Thursday, April 12, 2012, 7:00 AM     Updated: Thursday, April 12, 2012, 9:37 AM
  By Chris Welch, The Huntsville Times 




HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- It seemed like something straight out of the movies or one of the "Cops"-type reality TV shows.
On Tuesday afternoon, a caravan of seven vehicles from the Madison County Sheriff's Office turned onto Ariel Drive into a Harvest subdivision.
One by one, the cars stopped in front of a house, the deputies spilling out of their cars and taking their positions - two on the left side of the house, four on the right, another in a black SUV that held K-9 Rambo and two others who approached the front door.
Some were in the foliage green, Army-like uniforms of the sheriff's SWAT team, others in the gray uniforms of the sheriff's reserve volunteers and one, Deputy Johnny Daversa, in the all black K-9 uniform.
When Deputy Cody Davis knocked on the door, the adrenaline started rushing and the heart started pumping just a little bit faster.
Would the suspect come out peacefully and surrender, start firing or head out the back door?
Nobody really knew.
These officers were among 65 taking part in "Operation Madison County Spring Cleaning" to verify 400 registered sex offenders are compliant with local and state sexual offender laws. The roundup included the U.S. Marshal's Office in Birmingham, Huntsville and Madison police, Madison County Sheriff's Office, Alabama State Probation Office and Madison County District Attorney's Office.
Madison County Sheriff's Office Investigator Brent Patterson said five of the sexual offenders have been arrested so far for noncompliance of the state and local sex offender laws.
"We've been planning this for 8 1/2 months," said Sheriff's Investigator Shawn McClure.
At the house in Harvest, a man came to the door and chatted outside with deputies and investigators. But he was not the sexual offender registered at the address. He told deputies, including Investigator Forrest Edde, in charge of this group, he had met the sexual offender in question once but he had never lived there. The homeowner told deputies he had been getting the offender's mail for two years and showed them a stack he was keeping inside.
"Deputy (Cody) Davis didn't see any evidence he had lived there," Edde said.
Because sexual offenders only have to report in to law enforcement every three months, and because of the shortages in law enforcement, it's not always easy to verify the address, officials say. Thus, the need for yearly roundups like these.
Satisfied the sexual offender wasn't at the Harvest address, the deputies got back in their cars and headed off to plan their second attempt at an arrest. Stopping on the side of the road near a grain mill in Harvest, the deputies went over the sexual offender's history, called up his address via Google Maps on their car-mounted laptops, made their plan and piled back into their cars.
The caravan headed to Sam Thomas Road in Huntsville and deputies again got out and took their positions near a dilapidated wooden house. There were no cars outside or signs of life until the deputies knocked on the door. It opened and a little dog came running out, barking.
The registered sex offender, thin and frail-looking with glasses, walked outside, chatted with deputies for a few minutes and then sat down on the steps. As it turned out, Edde said, the man was the sexual offender in question, but the person on a harrassment warrant the deputies had planned to serve was actually the man's son of the same name, who was at work.
As deputies looked around the house to make sure the sexual offender was compliant, his grandchildren got off a yellow school bus and walked through the maze of police. Law enforcement officials aren't very sympathetic toward sexual offenders, but deputies said it was sad the children had to go through this, especially since their classmates on the bus had driven by.
Children aren't normally allowed in the homes of sexual offenders, but if they're relatives and list in the court order it's OK, Edde said. The offender's son and his family had moved into the home to help his dad, who has been out of work for three years, keep the electricity on. Now, the son and means of support are in danger of going to jail.
As for the Madison County Sheriff's deputies and investigators, Edde said they'd done their jobs -- making sure sexual offenders are where they're supposed to be, and when they're not, reporting it.

Marshall County woman in land dispute with Registrant

 

What is it with WAFF? This is the second stupid registrant bashing story this week. Had the man in question was not a registrant, this would not be news. Plus the woman needs to be in trouble for harassment.

http://www.waff.com/story/15537897/woman

Marshall County woman in land dispute with sex offender

Posted: Sep 23, 2011 7:57 PM EDT Updated: Sep 23, 2011 7:58 PM EDT

By Stephen McLamb - bio | email

GRANT, AL (WAFF) -

There is a land dispute in Marshall County between a woman and a convicted sex offender.

He has allegedly moved onto the woman's property without permission.

That's at 588 Newport highway just outside of grant, the property owner told us she's working to get him off her land.

The man was living next door but was picked up in a roundup last month when it was discovered a child was living there.

He then created a residence next door and law enforcement says they cannot do anything about property line disputes.

"That's definitely an issue when you have little girls running around. I mean, you worry about the children," said Karla Hardin, who says the man is on her property.

Hardin said she always worries about sex offenders living near her but she never believed it would be on her own property.

"So he lives in a shed running a power cord from his shed to his wife's single wide," said Hardin.

Sheriff's officials confirmed to WAFF 48 news that Steven Edward Southers was picked up in a recent roundup when it was determined he was living in a mobile home with a child.

But after he made bond, Hardin says he put up a shed she said is 30 feet on her property, so she sought law enforcement to have him removed.

"I went to the courthouse and I've been told to go to civil court over this because it's a property line issue," said Hardin.

Despite having a survey done Wednesday and the property line marked between the structure and his former residence, Hardin says he hasn't left.

For now Hardin told us all she can do is warn the public about who is living on her property with a sign, but she says even that caused trouble.

"Police were out here last night and they left and my sign is still hanging," said Hardin.

Southers said the deeds were messed up years ago and that he's on his own property.

Hardin says she will have to spend her money for civil court to get him off of her property.

Copyright 2011 WAFF. All rights reserved.

Alabama News Roundup nov. 5, 2010 -- The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly

Three new news stories, courtesy of WAFF 48 in Huntsville:

THE GOOD: STATE COURT OF APPEALS STRIKES DOWN NOTIFICATION LAW AS UNCONSTITUTIONAL


http://www.waff.com/Global/story.asp?S=13453928
Associated Press - November 5, 2010 4:24 PM ET

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) - A state appeals court says an Alabama law requiring sex offenders to give an address where they will be living before getting out of prison can't be applied to a homeless inmate with no money. Thornal Lee Adams was arrested when he couldn't give an address where he would be living after his release from a state prison in Montgomery County. He argued that he couldn't give an address 45 days before his release because he had no family to live with and he had no money to pay for an apartment. The Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals said applying the law to Adams is unconstitutional because he's being punished for being homeless. But the court said it does not hold that the 45-day-requirement is always unconstitutional.

GOOD NEWS: Alabama has a longtime policy of charging a sex offender with failure to register if they cannot create a home plan. Now courts are finally stepping up against this practice. Alabama needs to support more halfway houses.

THE BAD: ALBERTVILLE RESIDENTS COMPLAIN OF REGISTRANT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD

http://www.waff.com/Global/story.asp?S=13454700
By Stephen McLamb

ALBERTVILLE, AL (WAFF)- Some Albertville residents would like to see a convicted sex offender, who recently moved to their neighborhood, kicked out. But is there anything that can really be done? Albertville police say they've been getting calls from residents along East McKinney Avenue after getting flyers that a sex offender is now their neighborhood. "Basically they don't like it because he's moved into the area," said Albertville Police Sgt. Jamie Smith.

Whether it's Albertville, Guntersville, or somewhere else, Sgt. Jamie Smith says there's little anyone can do as long as the offender is in compliance. "Registering with local law enforcement, obviously they're within the distance requirements set by the law for schools and daycare," said Sgt. Smith.

While you may not be able to remove a sex offender from near your home, Sgt. Smith urges people to be aware. The best way is to use the internet to see if there is a sex offender in your neighborhood. "It will show you everyone that's registered there in the town. We've got 22 here in Albertville," said Sgt. Smith.

If you would like to know if there is a sex offender in your neighborhood, click here.

COMMENTS: This story angered me, quite frankly. It was a non-story. The good news is no one was singled out. The bad news is a bunch of liquored up rednecks will be whipped up in a frenzy over this piece of fluff. Just bad, bad journalism.

http://www.waff.com/Global/story.asp?S=13448596

AND THE UGLY: STUPID HICK-TOWN SHERIFF MAKES STUPID HICK-TOWN COMMENTS

ATHENS, Ala. (AP) - How bad did Democrats in Alabama get beaten on Tuesday? To quote Limestone County Sheriff Mike Blakely: "Alabama Coach Nick Saban running on the Democratic ticket could not have beaten a one-legged child molester running as a Republican." Blakeley, a Democrat, survived because he had no opposition on the ballot. But The Decatur Daily reports that for the first time in Limestone County's recorded history, all local Democratic incumbents who faced opposition lost. Along with the sheriff, nine other Democrats did not have opposition and won new terms.

COMMENTS: Too bad no one legged registrant ran against Mike Blakely. Okay it was a silly copper comment but Alabama politics is like that.