For more than a decade, David felt “like trash” having to register as a sex offender because he had consensual sex with his girlfriend when they were both minors.
Now, with the help of a Colorado Springs attorney, those days are behind him.
He was officially removed from the registry Jan. 2.
“Now I feel like everybody else,” David said. The Gazette agreed to use only his first name to protect his identity.
about the impact the registry has on offenders. At the time, a U.S. district judge had ruled the Colorado Sex Offender Registration Act unconstitutional. State Attorney General Cynthia Coffman is appealing that ruling, arguing that the registry protects the public.
David offered his story as proof of how the registry can do more harm than good. He described the struggle he faced finding a place to live, earning a living, falling in love and starting a family because of the label.
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