HUDSON, N.H. —A convicted sex offender faces new charges, after he was accused of having child sex abuse images.
Vernon Ingersoll was released from prison in 2011, which sparked controversy because his parole officer had recommended a five-year sentence. However, a law that had just been enacted by the state set his sentence at 90 days.
Ingersoll was convicted of sexual assault in 1989. He was convicted of child pornography in 2002, and was paroled in 2008.
Vernon Ingersoll Jr., 63, was arrested in July 2009 after police said he approached a 14-year-old boy in Hudson, which would be a violation of his parole.
"He was let out on parole with the understanding that he would have no contact with anyone under the age of 16," said Michael Reeves, who said his son was approached by Ingersoll.
Reeves said Ingersoll offered his son money.
"We went to his parole hearing and we had the opportunity to speak our case, but they let us know that because of SB 500, their hands were tied," Reeves said. "They had to let him out in 90 days."
A new law, SB 500 only allows the Parole Board to give a maximum of 90 days to parole violators. Parole officials said that when Ingersoll initially violated his parole in 2009, his parole officer recommended a five-year sentence.
The board was required to give Ingersoll a parole hearing in 45 days, but Ingersoll opted to postpone the hearing until October 2010. At that point, SB 500 was in place.
"He came in on a technical parole violation, and it's different than committing a new crime," said Jeff Lyons, spokesman for the Department of Correction. "So based on that information and the science that helped put this in place, he was appropriate to be released." Sounds like junk-science to me.
Mother Beth Reeves said new charges could have only been filed if Ingersoll had physically touched her son.
"If the hairs had met, we could have filed charges, but because my son knew the right thing to do, there's nothing we can do as citizens," she said. "We just have to let him go again."
The state said Ingersoll has been released, but under intense supervision.
"It will mean additional meetings with a parole officer and will also mean electronic monitoring with a GPS," Lyons said.
The Reeves said they have called their state representatives and will do whatever they can to try to change the law. Two bills have been introduced -- one that would repeal SB 500 and another that would make significant changes.
Please pray for one of these bill to pass quickly so predators like Ingersoll can be taken off the streets, at least for a while.
Vernon Ingersoll was released from prison in 2011, which sparked controversy because his parole officer had recommended a five-year sentence. However, a law that had just been enacted by the state set his sentence at 90 days.
Ingersoll was convicted of sexual assault in 1989. He was convicted of child pornography in 2002, and was paroled in 2008.
Vernon Ingersoll Jr., 63, was arrested in July 2009 after police said he approached a 14-year-old boy in Hudson, which would be a violation of his parole.
"He was let out on parole with the understanding that he would have no contact with anyone under the age of 16," said Michael Reeves, who said his son was approached by Ingersoll.
Reeves said Ingersoll offered his son money.
"We went to his parole hearing and we had the opportunity to speak our case, but they let us know that because of SB 500, their hands were tied," Reeves said. "They had to let him out in 90 days."
A new law, SB 500 only allows the Parole Board to give a maximum of 90 days to parole violators. Parole officials said that when Ingersoll initially violated his parole in 2009, his parole officer recommended a five-year sentence.
The board was required to give Ingersoll a parole hearing in 45 days, but Ingersoll opted to postpone the hearing until October 2010. At that point, SB 500 was in place.
"He came in on a technical parole violation, and it's different than committing a new crime," said Jeff Lyons, spokesman for the Department of Correction. "So based on that information and the science that helped put this in place, he was appropriate to be released." Sounds like junk-science to me.
Mother Beth Reeves said new charges could have only been filed if Ingersoll had physically touched her son.
"If the hairs had met, we could have filed charges, but because my son knew the right thing to do, there's nothing we can do as citizens," she said. "We just have to let him go again."
The state said Ingersoll has been released, but under intense supervision.
"It will mean additional meetings with a parole officer and will also mean electronic monitoring with a GPS," Lyons said.
The Reeves said they have called their state representatives and will do whatever they can to try to change the law. Two bills have been introduced -- one that would repeal SB 500 and another that would make significant changes.
Please pray for one of these bill to pass quickly so predators like Ingersoll can be taken off the streets, at least for a while.
No comments:
Post a Comment