Advice needed

[user 38090]

Need some advice please. Next Sept. I'm heading out to see the US and Canada. I live in Alaska and will drive thru Canada over to NY then down following warmer weather. My friend thinks he would enjoy doing the same and wants to join me traveling in his own van. The thing is, he has a 40+ year old sex offence charge. He can't go into Canada so would have to meet me after shipping his van. My concern is that here's a guy living in a van with such a charge. I don't have a problem with him, but I think there could be problems with a LEO if they ran any type of check. I did some checking last night and from what I found is that in most states he would need to register if in the state more than 3 days. These states don't have a limit on when the conviction happened. Because of this I'm uncomfortable traveling with him. So the advice I need is, should I tell him how I feel and hope he understands and either stays home or travels on his own or am I just being paranoid that there'll be problems? Thanks.

 

[WanderingRose]

I think your instincts are exactly right.

Laws vary some from state to state, I believe, but have to do with how close a sex offender can be to a school, playground, child care facility, etc., in addition to general registration requirements.

My local newspaper routinely shows charges for those who have failed to register, as well as for living in prohibited areas.

He would be asking for trouble with such a plan, in my opinion, and my best guess is that you would also find yourself under unwanted scrutiny if he were arrested.

I don’t know what might constitute “aiding and abetting” in any given state, but why chance it.

 

[Gr8ful]

IMHO I'd invite him to travel along in his van so you each have a van. Maybe one of you wants to spend more time in a spot & you could catch up later.

 

[user 38090]

IMHO I'd invite him to travel along in his van so you each have a van. Maybe one of you wants to spend more time in a spot & you could catch up later.

He would be in his own van, but as we would be parking next to each other with out-of-state plates I would assume that they would be ran often. So when LEO runs his, his past would come up therefore being up questions about me due to also having Alaska plates.

 

[Gr8ful]

Sorry I misunderstood it but if you're in separate rigs I think you'd be fine. I wouldn't worry about it but that's just my opinion & I'm no expert.

 

[mpruet]

If your friend has a record, then it is highly unlikely that Canada would allow him entrance. Probably the best choice would be for your friend to take a ferry from Whittier to Bellingham, WA. However, this past year, the ferry system did not connect between the main portion and the eastern cost of Alaska. This forced folks wanting to use the Ferry to have to drive down to Haines and, of course, that would require entering Canada.

An alternate solution would be to ship the van to Washington state as freight and then fly down. I know of several folks in RVs that will use that service. That’s a lot cheaper than taking a van on the ferry system.

But the cheapest way would be for him to fly from Alaska to some city in the lower-48 and then drive with you.

As far as your concern, I can’t answer that.

 

[maki2]

Resolve the underlying concern first and that is what are the actual restrictions for traveling thru Canada by a person with such a legal record. That can be obtained with an inquiry to the Canadian Consulate office. You need to obtain that information from the designated representative authority of that nation. Here is the link you need with phone numbers to call. The Seattle Canadian Consulate seems like a good one to call as they are closest to the travel route from Alaska through Western Canada to the closest point of entry into the USA.
https://travel.gc.ca/assistance/embassies-consulates/united-states

After you get that information you can then make an informed decision for what your travel plans are likely to be. You will then know what is possible to do and what is not as regards your friend joining you for travel thru Canada.

 

[Ken in Anaheim]

Or....tell him YOU are taking a trip. If HE happens to be in the US, give you a call and you'll give him your location. Either meet me or don't.....his decision.

 

[user 38090]

Resolve the underlying concern first and that is what are the actual restrictions for traveling thru Canada by a person with such a legal record. That can be obtained with an inquiry to the Canadian Consulate office. You need to obtain that information from the designated representative authority of that nation. Here is the link you need with phone numbers to call. The Seattle Canadian Consulate seems like a good one to call as they are closest to the travel route from Alaska through Western Canada to the closest point of entry into the USA.
https://travel.gc.ca/assistance/embassies-consulates/united-states

After you get that information you can then make an informed decision for what your travel plans are likely to be. You will then know what is possible to do and what is not as regards your friend joining you for travel thru Canada.

Thanks for the info but Canada isn't the problem. Except for very few exceptions, Canada will not allow anyone with a felony or even a DUI to enter. If you reread my post it's the States that could be the problem.

 

[Gr8ful]

Sounds like you don't have a problem with him but the attention he may attract. Do you think a 40 year old crime from another country I assume he's paid for will still be a problem? Here's what I found on Google. Canada's sex registry is't public like the U'Ss & you must register within 7 days AFTER being ordered to by the court.
The Canadian sex offender registry was established in 2004 but the former Conservative government made changes in 2011 that removed prosecutorial and judicial discretion on when it should be used.Apr 27, 2023

 

[WanderingRose]

The thing is, he has a 40+ year old sex offence charge. He can't go into Canada so would have to meet me after shipping his van.

It sounds like the friend lives in Alaska, like the OP, and they’re talking about traveling together in the United States.

The friend can’t go into Canada, per the OP, and that may be because of the sex offender conviction, so Canadian laws have nothing to do with the proposed travel in the US.

 

[user 38090]

Thanks all for the comments. But, Canada isn't the concern, it's the States. So please stop talking about Canada. He's traveled to Europe many times and never had problems or questions there. When returning to the US he is always taken to a different room. He says that they just ask him where he was and who with. So, is a local LEO going to give him any trouble about how long he has been in state? Most states is 3 days before needing to register. I know no one can answer that but that's what I'm concern about. As WanderingRose said, "my best guess is that you would also find yourself under unwanted scrutiny if he were arrested.... might constitute “aiding and abetting” in any given state". I have never been in legal trouble and don't want any. He's a good friend and I could care less about his past, but I do have my concerns on a trip like this.

​

 

[user 38090]

Sounds like you don't have a problem with him but the attention he may attract. Do you think a 40 year old crime from another country I assume he's paid for will still be a problem? Here's what I found on Google. Canada's sex registry is't public like the U'Ss & you must register within 7 days AFTER being ordered to by the court.
The Canadian sex offender registry was established in 2004 but the former Conservative government made changes in 2011 that removed prosecutorial and judicial discretion on when it should be used.Apr 27, 2023

Canadian law, with few exceptions, will not allow anyone with any type of criminal record, even such as DUI, enter Canada.

 

[Tony's Dream]

I would say that he is aware of this problem and I would let him deal with it. If Canada lets him in, great. If not, he knew it could be a problem. Since you are taking different vehicles it should not impact you if he is detained along the way.

 

[Gr8ful]

I understand but his crime was in Canada & he's meeting you in the US, right?

 

[user 38090]

I understand but his crime was in Canada & he's meeting you in the US, right?

NO! He lives in Alaska and his charge was in the US. If he was Canadian and his crime was there the US wouldn't let him in.

 

[user 38090]

This post might get me in trouble but I have to say it:

Please read my original post! We live in Alaska. His crime was in the US. We know he can't enter Canada so it's a moot point about anything Canadian. My concern is if a LEO ran a check and see his background, should I be worry that they would arrest him for not registering in that state if there for more than 3 days (for most states). And if they would start looking at me more because I am with him (in 2 vans). I'm clean but that doesn't always matter to a LEO, guilt by association.

So maybe some of you could tell me how many times during your travels do you know, or think, your plates were ran being from out of state. And where they were ran, parking lots, on the road, etc. Thanks.

 

[Gr8ful]

So why did yoy say "The thing is, he has a 40+ year old sex offence charge. He can't go into Canada so would have to meet me after shipping his van? I can read. But he's Pre Sex Registry in the US too. I still believe if you're parked by him it's his problem.
The 1994 Jacob Wetterling Crimes Against Children and Sexually Violent Offender Act, required states to implement a sex-offender registration program. 1996: Wetterling amended by Megan's Law. Nuff said!

 

[vanbrat]

Getting from Alaska to the lower 48 means driving through Canada so that is why he is shipping the van to The lower 48 somewhere. If you are Okay with him but worried about LEO bugging you for the most part if you are not doing anything they are busy and won't bug you, if his plates give him away then maybe don't park next to each other. There are some states that have harsher regulations then others and it would be a good idea to do your research and follow what needs to be done to keep yourselves legal. The best way to stay out of trouble is to do what you need to do to stay out of it. There maybe places that you just don't go to together as in Canada. Or places you just avoid all together. Keep your van in good shape and don't hang out in what could be problem areas and stay away from other legal problems (DUI's and public drunkenness or fights or waving a gun around or ?????)

 

[user 38090]

So why did yoy say "The thing is, he has a 40+ year old sex offence charge. He can't go into Canada so would have to meet me after shipping his van? I can read. But he's Pre Sex Registry in the US too. I still believe if you're parked by him it's his problem.
The 1994 Jacob Wetterling Crimes Against Children and Sexually Violent Offender Act, required states to implement a sex-offender registration program. 1996: Wetterling amended by Megan's Law. Nuff said!

And some states, like Calif. go back to 1952 while others made their laws retroactive to who cares when it happened you have to register. I've done the research just the other day.