Marine Drive Apartments is a rent-controlled building with more than 600 units. For about a month it was the home of Benjamin Cooper. Although he claimed to be house-sitting for a friend, Cooper was not authorized to live in the apartment complex.

Cooper’s past was exposed by a tenant who ran a Sex Offender Search by Zip Code. The results included details about Cooper’s crime, and listed Marine Drive as his current address. After making this discovery, the shocked tenant turned to the Commissioner of Buffalo’s Municipal Housing Authority for help.

The Commissioner paid Cooper a visit, and told the man that he was trespassing. Cooper offered his explanation for being in the apartment, but when he was told the police had been called he made a hasty exit. Since then he is known to have relocated.

The discovery of a registered sex offender at Marine Drive Apartments caused a major uproar for the residents. Many have been very vocal about their dissatisfaction with the apartment manager not being aware that Cooper was living in the building. The manager contends that because Cooper was a guest of a renter, he had no way to know about the unsanctioned visitor.

To help soothe concerned residents, the woman who allowed Benjamin Cooper stay in her apartment was asked to move out. The management team now plans to review reports from an official sex offender registry twice a month to prevent something like this from ever happening again. For some long-term occupants, even this isn’t enough.

Benjamin Cooper was discovered living at Marine Drive Apartments after a resident ran a sex offender search. People all over the United States use this type of service to find useful information, such as what type of crime an offender committed. You can order a full report that includes names, addresses, physical descriptions and more by running a registered sex offender search by name, zip code or city.

Make sure you have all the facts you need to make informed decisions and protect your family, and thank you for reading the PeopleFinders People Search blog.

Phillip Garrido brought the young girls that he fathered with Jaycee Dugard to the UC campus in Berkeley on August 24. While there, he met a police officer named Lisa Campbell who asked him to return for a meeting the next day. Campbell was suspicious of his unusual behavior, and noted that the girls should have been in school.

Later that night, Officer Campbell ordered a Comprehensive Background Check and discovered something disturbing. Phillip Garrido was a registered sex offender who was still required to check in with a parole officer.

The following day Campbell brought a colleague, Officer Allison Jacobs, to the meeting with Phillip Garrido. When he left, the women called Garrido’s parole officer to report his actions and ask about his daughters. They were stunned to be told that he did not have any children.

Based on this call, the parole officer set up a meeting with Garrido, which led to an investigation and arrest. Since then, Phillip and Nancy Garrido have been held in custody awaiting a trial. The prosecution intends to prove that Phillip Garrido is a highly manipulative individual who brain-washed Jaycee Dugard, but his public defender, Susan Gellman, hopes to prove otherwise.

Gellman’s plan is to state that Phillip Garrido suffers from severe mental illness. She will insist that he did not have the capacity to realize that he was doing wrong and he should be treated as a patient, not a criminal.

One of the points Gellman is expected to emphasize is that Garrido claims to have communicated with angels who live underground for many years. He proclaimed that these angels frequently spoke to him at night and even self-published a manifesto about their conversations, which he personally delivered to the FBI a few days before he was arrested.

Whether or not this defense will hold up in court remains to be seen. The prosecution asserts that since Garrido and his wife lived a somewhat normal life while detaining Jaycee Dugard in a backyard shanty for so long, their actions must have been calculated. They are also expected to point out that Garrido had plans in place to hide Dugard and the children if the police or unexpected visitors ever arrived.

We’ll be watching closely as the trial against Phillip and Nancy Garrido begins. Our hopes are with Jaycee Dugard and her family, and that the end of this hearing will bring them peace and comfort.

Read more about the kidnapping of Jaycee Dugard

Read about how Jaycee Dugard became free

In December, 2009, an earth-shattering accusation was made against the doctor. A young patient told her mother that Bradley had abused her during a recent appointment. The mother contacted local authorities immediately. Her disturbing claim led to an intense investigation.

Later that month, Dr. Earl Bradley was arrested. His office, known as BayBees Pediatrics, was searched thoroughly. The results were shocking.

Investigators found video footage that was said to show Earl Bradley molesting young children during examinations. The abuse allegedly went on while unsuspecting parents waited in a nearby lobby. Several of the victims were recorded multiple times, and they ranged from a few years to just a few months old.

When he was first arrested, Dr. Bradley faced 33 felony counts. Since then, more families have stepped forward to report instances of abuse. The charges against Bradley quickly shot up to 471. He has been indicted on every count.

If convicted, Earl Bradley is expected to receive a sentence of life in prison. The signs and toys that were well-known landmarks of his practice have already been removed following a request from Attorney General Beau Biden, who hopes this will be a “small step in helping the Lewes community begin the healing process.”

Biden will prosecute the case against Bradley, and says that he is feeling great about his expected results. The pain and suffering the victims and their families must deal with may never end, but justice in this case could lend a small amount of healing. Our sympathy goes out to everyone who was harmed by the doctor’s atrocious deeds.

One of the biggest fears any family can face comes in the form of a child molester. That’s why it is so important to be informed about registered sex offenders who may live near your home or child’s school. PeopleFinders offers a Sex Offender Search that allows you to find registered offenders by name, city or zip code. The search will show you a physical description of the offender, what type of crime was committed and other useful information. Use it to learn more and help keep your family safe.

Stories of child molestation are terrifying and sickening. They are made even worse when the perpetrator is a trusted adult. Get the knowledge you need to protect your loved ones, listen to your children if they say they were harmed by any adult, and thank you for reading the PeopleFinders People Search blog.

Read our article about What Should Be Done With Sexual Offenders

Read our article about New Laws For California Sex Offenders

Read about Oprah’s Interview With Real Sexual Offenders

People are terrified by the thought of sexual offenders. Primarily due to the ghastly deeds these criminals might commit, and partially because there is no easy way to identify a potential offender. It may seem like the type of predator who would willingly abuse another human being, especially a child, should have an obvious “look”, but the truth is even scarier. You can’t tell what another person is capable of doing just by looking.

Oprah interviewed four men who sexually abused children. She held a frank discussion with them in which she tried to understand why and how they perpetrated such destructive crimes. Her interview was direct, brutally honest and horrifying. In the end, Oprah created a list of four things everyone should know about child molesters:

Child molesters usually know their victims
It is a nightmare scenario for parents: a stranger grabs their child and drives to an unknown destination. We’ve all seen stories like this on the nightly news, and wonder what can be done to keep children safe. While this is a serious concern that must be addressed, an even greater possibility exists that a potential abuser already knows your kids.

Adults who watch over or educate children. A friend you’ve known for years. Even a relative. An untold number of families have been devastated by a sexual offender who was thought of as a trusted friend or loved one. The men Oprah interviewed were close to their victims long before the abuse began.

Child molesters watch for vulnerable children
Sexual predators seek out easy targets to victimize. They watch for children who are angry at their parents, unhappy with their home lives and in need of a strong adult presence. Once they find a susceptible child, the predators move in and attempt to establish a bond of trust and mutual respect. This bond allows them to take advantage of a child who doesn’t know how to react to the sexual abuse.

Child molesters manipulate their victims
The sexual offenders who spoke to Oprah confessed that they used techniques to convince their victims that the molestation was a pleasant experience, or that the children were to blame for any inappropriate behavior. They claimed to spend a long time “grooming” their victims by slowly establishing a rapport while eliminating all personal and physical boundaries. All their time and efforts were designed to give them complete control over a helpless individual.

There is hope
Oprah’s interview takes viewers through a whirlwind of emotions – from disgust and anger to disbelief and shock. Her final goal, however, was to let people know there are ways to protect your children.

First and foremost, watch your children closely. Give them the time, love and attention they need so they do not look for these qualities elsewhere. Next, keep a close eye on anyone who spends time with your children.

According to a Psychotherapist who participated in the interviews, parents should watch for tell-tale signs of potential child molesters. Some of the common indicators are seen in an adult who: spends more time with kids than other adults; regularly shares personal information with children; frequently buys gifts for young kids; or habitually tickles or wrestles with young people. In general, be wary of any adult who pays an unusual amount of attention to your children.

Another important lesson for parents is to take warnings from your children seriously. One sexual offender said that his victim told her parents about the abuse she was enduring, but he was able to convince them he was innocent. He stated that parents should believe stories of abuse, and that children “don’t lie about that stuff.”

A final method parents can use to protect their children is to stay informed about sexual offenders who live near their home, school or work. Adults can order a Sex Offender Report, which lists offenders living in any city or zip code in the United States. The report displays essential information such as an offender’s name, address, physical description and details about their crime.

Parents who are concerned about someone who spends time with their children can also order a Criminal Records Report to see if the person has any offenses on file. A potential child molester may have a criminal history that you need to know about, because when it comes to your children there is no such thing as being too cautious.

Oprah’s two-hour conversation with the child molesters is available online. Watch it to learn more about the thought process and practices of convicted sexual offenders; take every precaution possible to keep your family safe and thank you for reading the PeopleFinders People Search blog.

Read more about “What should be done with sexual offenders”

Read more about “New laws for California sex offenders”

Logo in favor of Jessica's Law.

A new ruling by the California Supreme Court may make it very difficult for registered sexual offenders to find housing. The “residency restrictions” ruling states that sexual offenders cannot live within 2,000 feet of parks, schools, or any other location where children regularly assemble.

The Court’s decision is based on Jessica’s Law – a law that got started in Florida in 2005. Jessica’s Law is named after Jessica Lunsford, a young girl who was raped and murdered by a John Couey. During Couey’s trial, the public discovered that he had a prior conviction as a sexual offender. People were incensed that a previous offender had been set free and was able to commit this heinous crime.

Lawmakers reacted by creating Jessica’s Law, which was intended to ensure that nothing like the Jessica Lunsford tragedy could ever happen again. The law officially passed in 2006, allowing newly convicted offenders to be subjected to residency restrictions.

California’s highest Court turned in a 5 to 2 decision in favor of residency restrictions for sexual offenders who were convicted before the existence of Jessica’s Law. The Court also heard from four registered offenders who opposed this ruling. The four claimed that the law is unfair, and that it would make it difficult, if not impossible, for previous offenders to find housing.

One of the arguments against residency restrictions is that sexual offenses cover a wide array of crimes. Two of the offenders who participated in the California Supreme Court hearing were convicted of acts that did not involve assaulting children. The Court, however, determined that their ruling was the best way to protect children and prevent parolees from committing additional crimes.

Others who oppose the Court’s ruling claim that it may actually put children in danger. Their argument is that the law will force offenders to become homeless, which could in turn lead to them committing more crimes. Opponents believe that society will be safer if offenders have a permanent residence … where they can be easily monitored.

Those who favor residency restrictions suggest that the law will create a safer society, especially for children. There are nearly 7,000 paroled offenders in California who are actively tracked with GPS devices. These devices help parole agents monitor how close the offender is to any school, daycare center or park.

The debate about residency restrictions is not likely to end anytime soon. Offenders are allowed to challenge the ruling, if they claim that it makes finding a residence impossible. Opponents of the ruling are likely to try to revive the case in the hopes of having the decision overturned.

For now, however, sexual offenders in California will face residency restrictions. This is a topic that affects people all over the United States. If you are concerned about the possibility of sexual offenders living near your home or children’s school, you can get the information you need to help keep your family safe. A Sex Offender Search allows you to look for offenders in your city, and will show you their names, addresses, physical descriptions and more.

So what do you think? Is this ruling fair? Should there be another option for previous offenders? Leave us a comment to share your thoughts, and thank you for reading the PeopleFinders People Search blog.

Read about what may be done with sexual offenders in America.

The thought of living near a registered sex offender can be frightening, especially if you have young children. That’s why many people frequently run sexual offender searches – the search allows them to learn about potential predators living in any city or zip code in America. Some people are hoping the Supreme Court will support a law that will help keep sexual offenders out of their neighborhoods.

Civil Commitment is a law that gives every state the option to keep sexual offenders in custody after they have finished serving a prison sentence. The offender is taken to a high security mental hospital immediately after their release. This could be a way to keep violent sexual offenders out of society indefinitely.

Members of the Supreme Court declared Civil Commitment to be Constitutional as long as the goal is to treat patients, not inflict punishment. Any state may choose to enforce this, and on January 12, 2010, the Supreme Court heard a case that called for the commencement of Civil Commitment on a Federal level.

As of 2010, nearly 20 states utilize Civil Commitment. Currently, there are about 4,000 convicted pedophiles, rapists and other offenders confined in state-run mental facilities. Some of this is due to the efforts of a man named Martin Andrews.

When Andrews was only 13-years-old, he was approached by a stranger named Richard Ausley, who offered the boy money in exchange for help moving furniture. Ausley coaxed Andrews into his van, and drove deep into the country.

For the next several days, Martin Andrews was chained up inside a small metal box. He was beaten and savagely raped, then left to die in the wilderness. Andrews’ screams for help would have been in vain, but a group of hunters heard and followed the young boy’s cries.

Richard Ausley was arrested, tried and convicted for this heinous crime. This was not the first time he had been found guilty of a violent act. Ausley had two prior convictions for sexually assaulting young boys, and yet he was a free man in 1973 when he met Martin Andrews.

By 1999, Ausley had been incarcerated for 29 years and was going to be set free. Martin Andrews heard about his release date, and decided to do something about it. Andrews acted quickly: he lobbied lawmakers to fund a program that would examine convicted sexual offenders and determine if they should also be subjected to Civil Commitment.

Andrews was successful. Virginia lawmakers backed his cause, and began enforcing Civil Commitment laws. The man who had tormented Andrews would not be set free.

Although Andrews agrees that Civil Commitment is not the best possible system for dealing with sexual offenders, he strongly advocates the law and says that it is “the only tool we have that is 100 percent effective, because they (sexual offenders) are removed from society.” His goal is to help prevent other children from experiencing the torture he endured at the tender age of 13.

Whether or not Civil Commitment will be enforced on a federal level remains to be seen. What do you think? Should sexual offenders be held after they have served their prison term? Leave us a comment and share your thoughts.

At PeopleFinders, we believe that education is our most powerful tool, and we are dedicated to helping people get the information they need to protect themselves and keep their families safe. That’s why we proudly offer a Free Sexual Offender Alert Program. Sign up now to get photos, addresses and other information about sexual offenders who may be living near you, your children’s school or any area your family visits.

Stay safe out there, and thank you for reading the PeopleFinders.com People Search blog.

Read about a new law affecting sexual offenders in California.

Garrido is a registered sex offender who somehow managed to keep Jaycee Dugard hidden away for nearly 2 decades. He sexually assaulted the young girl and fathered 2 children with her during this time. In August, 2009, Garrido was finally captured and Jaycee was set free.

After spending nearly half her life in captivity, Jaycee reunited with her mother. She and her daughters have stayed out of the public eye since then, but Jaycee recently did an interview with People Magazine. The issue features pictures that show Jaycee to be healthy and vibrant. Jaycee’s mother, Terry Probyn, said that the darkness and despair has lifted from their lives, and that they are all thrilled to be back together.

Jaycee is now 29 and her daughters are 11 and 15. They seem to be happy and well adjusted, although they do expect to spend time in counseling to get over this horrifying experience. People all across the country have reached out to help their family during this difficult time. If you would like to contribute, visit The Jaycee Lee Dugard Trust Fund to send your donation online.

We couldn’t be happier for Jaycee and her family. They lost a lot of precious time, but now they have a second chance. Thank you for reading the PeopleFinders People Search blog.

The fact that Jennifer survived this ordeal is amazing, and her attempt to bring closure to the case is inspiring. Jennifer has been working with a division of the FBI called the Child Abduction Rapid Deployment Team (CARDT) to try and find the man who assaulted her so long ago.

Jennifer’s assailant left a few articles of clothing at the scene of the crime, but DNA testing was inconclusive at the time. There have been many technological advances since then, and members of the CARDT were able to run new tests on evidence that was locked away for many years. They found a match.

DNA samples pointed to a man named Dennis Earl Bradford. He was previously arrested for a sexual assault case in Arkansas from 1997, and found guilty of kidnapping a 35-year-old woman, sexually assaulting her and then cutting her throat. The crime was an exact match of what happened to Jennifer Schuett.

As investigators began to dig deeper, they made a startling discovery. After Jennifer was attacked she helped a sketch artist create a picture of the man who kidnapped her. That picture had a striking resemblance to Dennis Bradford’s driver’s license photo. Jennifer had also written several notes to the police about her assault – and those notes mentioned that her abductor referred to himself as Dennis.

Dennis Bradford lives in Arkansas, but in 1990 he lived in Dickinson, Texas. His home was only about a mile away from the apartment building where Jennifer was abducted. The FBI finally had a break in the case after nearly 2 decades of silence.

On Tuesday, October 13, 2009, Dennis Earl Bradford was arrested while on his way to work in Little Rock, Arkansas. Local authorities worked with an FBI agent and a detective from Dickinson to capture the suspect and book him at a nearby facility. Bradford will be charged with attempted murder, and he is expected to be extradited to face a trial in Texas. If he is found guilty, Bradford could be sentenced to life in prison.

Jennifer Schuett may finally have closure on this painful chapter in her life.  Her assailant has gone free for almost 20 years and most people believed he would never be caught, but now the alleged perpetrator is behind bars. Jennifer boasts that she should not be thought of as a victim, but as victorious.

Thanks to the persistence of Jennifer Schuett, members of the CARDT and modern technology, a man who brutally attacked a young girl may finally be brought to justice. At PeopleFinders.com we’re grateful for tools that help protect us and identify known criminals. You never know what type of person may be living in your neighborhood, but our Sexual Offender Search can help you find out. Use it to learn if there are registered sex offenders near your family.

Jennifer deserves respect and admiration for her bravery and persistence. We can all breathe a sigh of relief at the thought that the man who raped and left her for dead has finally been captured. Stay safe out there, and thank you for reading the PeopleFinders.com People Search blog.

For more current Sex Offender News, read the harrowing tale of Jaycee Dugard here.

As Jennifer slept, an unidentified man snuck in through her window and took the girl in his arms. He left the house quickly, and ran to his car while covering her mouth so she couldn’t scream for help. The abductor told Jennifer that he was an undercover cop and a friend of the family to keep her calm. He placed her inside the car and drove away.

The driver spoke to Jennifer Schuett calmly, stopped at a local auto shop and claimed that her mother would meet them there. Before long he said she must not be coming after all, and started the car again. This time they stopped in front of an overgrown field, very close to the school she attended.

Jennifer’s captor pulled out a knife and held it to her throat. He raped the helpless 8-year old while threatening her life with the weapon. She passed out.

When Jennifer awoke she was being dragged through the field by her ankles. Although the harsh ground cut deeply into her bare skin, Jennifer would play dead whenever her assailant turned back to look at her. Finally, he left her. As Jennifer lay there she wanted to call for help or walk home, but found she could not. She wouldn’t understand why until sometime later – the attacker had also slit her throat.

Jennifer was alone, without clothes and bleeding to death on a hill full of fire ants. Time passed slowly for the helpless girl as the sun crept up and brought waves of heat to the field.

It was a stroke of luck that led to the discovery of Jennifer Schuett. Almost 12 hours after she was left for dead, group of children were playing hide and seek in the same field and one tripped over her feet. The kids went for help, and soon after a helicopter arrived to airlift Jennifer to the closest hospital. She remained there and endured medical treatments and rehabilitation for several months.

Investigators found a few pieces of clothing in the field, but DNA testing was not very advanced at the time so the tests were inconclusive. Eventually the investigation was shelved and Jennifer’s case was all but forgotten, until a stroke of luck set things back in motion.

In 2008 a division of the FBI called the Child Abduction Rapid Deployment Team (CARDT) picked five unsolved child abduction cases to reopen. The team heard about Jennifer Schuett’s case and decided to pursue. They set it as a top priority, because it is very unusual for someone to survive that type of trauma. Jennifer immediately chose to be a part of the investigative experience.

Jennifer actively works with the CARDT team to offer all the help, memories and tips she can. She is focusing all of her efforts on discovering who did this to her and bringing them to justice. The team is running extensive DNA tests on the evidence that was found at the scene of the crime nearly 20 years ago. Although they provided no clues at the time, today’s testing methods are so advanced they may finally reveal a long kept secret.

Jennifer is determined to remain strong, speak out in any public forum where she can have her voice heard and fight to have this case solved. She will not let this end with her being victimized. She is a survivor who has chosen to fight back.

This situation serves as a reminder of how careful and vigilant we must all be. Modern technology may help solve her case, and it can help others avoid similar tragedies. Powerful tools like a Sex Offender Search will tell people if any sexual offenders live nearby so we can be better informed on how to protect our family and ourselves from predators.

We applaud Jennifer’s strength and hope that the sick individual who committed this horrendous crime will be caught quickly. If you have any information that can help, please contact your Local FBI Office immediately.  Stay safe out there, and thank you for reading the PeopleFinders.com People Search blog.

Breaking News: The man suspected of sexually assaulting Jennifer Schuett was caught! Read about it here.

For more current Sex Offender news, read the harrowing tale of Jaycee Dugard here.