Two sex predator bills headed to Senate Judiciary Committee

Following recently published accounts of a virtual “revolving door” of convicted sexual predators and sex offenders in St Johns County, Historic City News readers have expressed outrage at existing loopholes in the Jimmy Ryce Act; named after a 9-year-old boy who was raped and murdered in South Florida in 1995.

The Department of Corrections reports that the three-year recidivism rate for sex offenders is 34 percent — that is that 34 percent of sex offenders released from prison return to prison for another offense; although not necessarily a new sex crime.

“Violent sexual predators; we don’t know if there is any kind of cure for their behavior,” said Sen. Eleanor Sobel, committee chair. “We can do a lot of treatment, but we are not sure if treatment works.”

Yesterday, the Florida Senate Children, Families, and Elder Affairs Committee moved two proposals forward that are designed to close those loopholes.

At issue, since 1999, the Jimmy Ryce Act has allowed the state to continue the detention of violent sexual predators, even after they have finished their criminal sentence. Proportionately, of the 3,500 sex offenders in Florida who are evaluated each year for civil confinement, just a handful are considered dangerous enough to remain in state custody. That, despite a report published in South Florida Sun Sentinel finding that more than 600 convicted sexual predators went on to commit more offenses after their release, including 460 cases of child molestation.

One proposal, SB 522, provides for a multidisciplinary team to determine whether a convicted violent sexual predator can be released from state custody. The other, SB 524, addresses training and contracts for members of the multidisciplinary team.

The committee passed SB 522 on a unanimous vote. It also approved SB 524, which addresses training for the multidisciplinary team and limits the term of team members’ contracts to one year. Both measures’ next committee stop is the Senate Judiciary Committee.

	Tommy J. Anderson, 49
Time between release and new sex offense	Unknown amount of time
County of Offense	Escambia, St. Johns
Status	Jailed
Prison Release Date	March 5, 2016
His Story	In June 2003, DCF screeners said Tommy J. Anderson, previously convicted of lewd/lascivious conduct, should be released from prison without further review. He was freed on July 17, 2004, and committed lewd/lascivious molestation in Escambia County. He is at Blackwater Correctional Facility.

	William J. Mitchell, 52
Time between release and new sex offense	9 months, 22 days
County of Offense	St. Johns
Status	Jailed
His Story	In October 2006, DCF screeners said William J. Mitchell, previously convicted of lewd/lascivious battery of child and prior sex offense unknown, should be released from prison without further review. He was freed on Dec. 10, 2006, and on Oct. 1, 2007, he committed a federal offense of "transportation to engage in criminal sexual activity". He is confined in jail or prison.

	Shawn A. Tedder, 52
Time between release and new sex offense	2 years, 5 months, 10 days
County of Offense	St. Johns
Status	Jailed
Prison Release Date	May 19, 2024
His Story	In February 2006, DCF screeners said Shawn A. Tedder, previously convicted of sexual battery and burglary, should be released from prison without further review. He was freed on Dec. 14, 2006, and on May 24, 2009, he committed sexual battery and false imprisonment in St. Johns County. He is at Gulf Correctional Institution.

	William F. Coyne, 50
Time between release and new sex offense	2 months
County of Offense	Flagler, St. Johns
Status	Jailed
Prison Release Date	Sept. 22, 2036
His Story	In December 1999, DCF screeners said William F. Coyne, previously convicted of lewd/lascivious assault of a child, should be released from prison without further review. He was freed on Jan. 31, 2000, and on April 1, 2000, he committed sexual battery of a child in St. Johns County. He is at Franklin Correctional Institution.

	Freddie O. Felder, 37
Time between release and new sex offense	11 months, 30 days
County of Offense	St. Johns
Status	Jailed
Prison Release Date	Serving life in prison
His Story	In November 1999, DCF screeners said Freddie O. Felder, previously convicted of attempted sexual battery, should be released from prison without further review. He was freed on Sep. 8, 2009, and on Sep. 6, 2010, he committed lewd/lascivious battery in St. Johns County. He is serving a prison sentence at Columbia Annex.

	Matthew R. Braddock, 39
Time between release and new sex offense	3 months, 28 days
County of Offense	St. Johns
Status	Jailed
Prison Release Date	July 19, 2036
His Story	In August 2004, DCF screeners said Matthew R. Braddock, previously convicted of lewd/lascivious assault of a child, should be released from prison without further review. He was freed on March 29, 2011, and on July 26, 2011, he committed lewd/lascivious molestation in St. Johns County. He is at Madison Correctional Institution.

	Thomas A. Bloom, 51
Time between release and new sex offense	6 years, 4 months, 2 days
County of Offense	St. Johns, Volusia
Status	Jailed
Prison Release Date	Oct. 16, 2015
His Story	In June 1999, DCF screeners said Thomas A. Bloom, previously convicted of lewd/lascivious assault of a child, should be released from prison without further review. He was freed on Aug. 1, 2000, and on Dec. 3, 2006, he committed lewd/lascivious molestation in St. Johns County. He is at Walton Correctional Institution.

	Christopher J. Hurley, 38
Time between release and new sex offense	1 year, 8 months, 11 days
County of Offense	Clay, St. Johns
Status	Jailed
Prison Release Date	Oct. 5, 2018
His Story	In April 2001, DCF screeners said Christopher J. Hurley, previously convicted of lewd assault/sexual battery of a child, should be released from prison without further review. He was freed on Dec. 19, 2001, and on Aug. 30, 2003, he committed lewd/lascivious conduct in St. Johns County. He is at Gulf Correctional Institution.

	Jesse L. Graves, 35
Time between release and new sex offense	5 months, 17 days
County of Offense	Polk, St. Johns
Status	Jailed
Prison Release Date	Aug. 4, 2021
His Story	In April 2002, DCF screeners said Jesse L. Graves, previously convicted of lewd/lascivious assault of a child, should be released from prison without further review. He was freed on Dec. 1, 2002, and on May 18, 2003, he committed lewd/lascivious molestation, lewd/lascivious exhibition and lewd/lascivious conduct in Polk County. He is serving a prison sentence at Columbia Annex.

	Cashus D. Cummings, 31
Time between release and new sex offense	5 months, 5 days
County of Offense	St. Johns
Status	Jailed
Prison Release Date	Dec. 24, 2049
His Story	In October 2007, DCF screeners said Cashus D. Cummings, previously convicted of lewd/lascivious battery of child, should be released from prison without further review. He was freed on Feb. 27, 2008, and on Aug. 1, 2008, he committed lewd/lascivious battery in St. Johns County. He is at Wakulla Annex.