TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Manatee Man Requests Removal From Offender List

ADVERTISEMENT

By Anthony Cormier / Sarasota Herald Tribune

Published: November 5, 2007

Updated: 11/05/2007 07:52 pm

BRADENTON – A judge did not immediately decide Monday whether to honor a man's request to be removed from the state's sex offender registry.

Christopher Rush, 21, had sex with a teenager in August 2003 and was later charged with lewd or lascivious battery. Rush, of Bradenton, says the sex was consensual, contradicting the victim's statement to police.

In 2005, he pleaded guilty to the charge and was placed on probation until 2010. Rush's inclusion on the sex offender list has caused him harassment and made it difficult to find and keep a job, his attorney said.

His attorney, Richard C. Reinhart, said the sex with the girl was "nothing more than high school, adolescent, consensual sex."

Judge Ed Nicholas did not issue a ruling Monday, and could take several days reviewing the case. Prosecutors have asked Nicholas not to remove Rush from the state list.

Some youthful sex offenders can avoid being placed on the sex offender registry due to the state's so-called Romeo and Juliet provision that takes into account that some sex acts by youths do not rise to the level of major sex offenses.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT