Neighbor's Fliers May Have Led To Offender's Death

WESH is reporting...

OCALA, Fla. -- Neighborhood activism against a local sex offender may have contributed to his apparent suicide.

A registered sex offender who served his time reportedly killed himself Wednesday after his neighbors posted fliers with his face and the words "Child Rapist" all over his Marion County neighborhood.

Are the people that hung the signs responsible for this guy pulling a Kurt Cobain?

Check out this e-mail I got from a local sex offender...

Pat,

I am a fan of you radio show and I listen most morning on my way to work. First I want you to know that the Jessica Lunsford case sickens me, as much as it does you. Those responsible should be locked up for a VERY long time. Now I must tell you something I don’t even tell those closest to me. I am a sex offender. When my daughter was 15 I touched her breast through her clothes. I molested her. This is something I am very ashamed of and something I will work at the rest of my life to make up too her. Currently we get along well. We speak and exchange gifts and express love for each other, but because of my condition we do not hug or get physically close to each other. I hope one day she will trust me enough to start hugging me again.

I committed my crime due to a VERY bad marriage; I got confused and became misguided and turned to my daughter for acceptance. This is wrong, but I am not a threat to anyone else. As soon as I committed my crime I realized I had hurt my daughter tremendously. I insisted she get counseling as well as me. I never denied my crime or bargained with the prosecutor for a lower sentence. I owed it to my daughter to own up to my short comings and try to provide an example of what a person should do if the make a mistake or even in my case, commit a crime.

I tell you this not to gain respect, sympathy, or even to cause rage. I tell you this because I think Florida needs more then just 2 categories of sex offenders. Currently there are offenders and predators. Most people do not know the difference. I think there should be more categories for people who have made terrible mistakes and then other for people who are likely to re-offend. I hope I am not fooling myself by thinking I am not the same as other offender or predators. I hope I am not like them.

Currently I live in an upscale Central Florida community. My employer and my friends do not know what happened. If my employer finds out, I would be let go. I would be unable to finds another job that would pay the mortgage on my house, due to the background check. I realize I make a major mistake. I have owned up to it, I regret it, and I am trying to make amends with my daughter, but should my future and that of my families be at risk for as long as I live due to just one mistake in my life? I have never been arrested before, and the most serious trouble I have had with the law prior and since this incident, is speeding tickets.

You are welcome to use this information in you show if you would like, I only ask you keep my personal information confidential as to not jeopardize the security of my family more then I already have.

I welcome your constructive comments.

RXXXXXX