Below is an auto-reply from the support team of  justmugshots.com. AKA…Citizens Information Associates – out of Austin, TX – and; dbabustedmugshots.com, mugshotsonline.com, lookwhogotbusted.com.

I read their response and was elated that GA’s HB 150 is making a difference.  The law in Georgia prevents such companies from extorting money off people’s misfortunes.  However, I can’t help the sickening reality of how much control over citizen’s lives private companies have.  It’s actually scary to say the least.  The law is clear that they cannot charge a mug shot removal fee based on one’s disposition, but they have now placed the burden of proof on the citizen.  Why?  These companies downloaded public records for free and would care less about one’s vindication.  It has always been about the mighty dollar. The heights of manipulation at its best: one computer, one person downloaded and uploaded millions of public records free of cost. They are now mandating the victim to produce his or her own dispositions (“Case Update”) to update the Internet record as a way of offering some relief.  Wow! The potential employer can now see that you were once arrested, but it was a wrongful arrest; charges dismissed.  We all know of the stigma and how being arrested is damaging… Period!  This only adds to the manipulation by now having manpower free of cost.  So the victims are further being extorted over and over again.  Why do we recognize these type companies as legitimate businesses I will never comprehend.  Why they have so much control over one’s life is outrageous – only in America.  There is so much work to be done. When unethical people prey on others as they are doing, they are preying on each of us.    Help Reclaim Our Dignity in the fight to rid these companies for good. Sign our petition:http://chn.ge/1ayUvkC

_________________________________

From: <support@justmugshots.com>

Subject: Request Received: Georgia Removal

Hi,

 Your email has been received and is being reviewed by our support staff. Due to the high volume of email we receive, please allow up to 3-5 business days for a reply. Please note that we do not accept payment for removal, and only perform courtesy removals under the following conditions:

 Arrested individual was a minor (under 18) at the time of arrest, or

Arrested individual is now deceased, or,
Arrested individual is a Georgia resident, the arrest occurred in GA, and the individual qualifies under conditions of Georgia HB150.

If the above doesn’t apply to you, you may be able to qualify for a Case Update instead!

 A Case Update is for people who don’t qualify for a removal under the conditions listed above. This allows for an updated resolution to be added to the existing mugshot page, which indicates the outcome of the arrest.

We will add a Case Update to your page when you provide proof of any 1 of the following conditions, and that proof is verified by our Support Team:
-All charges against the arrested individual were dropped or otherwise not pursued OR;

-The arrested individual was adjudicated not guilty on all charges

Note that pre-trial diversion and similar programs do NOT qualify for any of the benefits of the Courtesy Update Programs.

 If either of the above Removal or Case Update conditions describes your situation, please send proof of condition being met, along with the link to your mugshot page.

Hello Everyone,

First of all I would like to thank each of you for your support and your kind words.  Last night was the last day of Session and I was there when the Speaker raised the gavel and announced “Sine Die” at midnight. That ended the 2013-2014, Georgia Legislative Session.   

It was a BIG WIN for Reclaim Our Dignity, because HB 845 passed both the House and the Senate and is now awaiting the Governor’s signature.  Some of you may feel this bill doesn’t help the ones that already have mug shots out there, and you are absolutely right!  This bill’s intent is to eventually dry up (eradicate) the private mug shot industry.  It is obvious that something in our justice system is broken and thus bills like HB 150 and HB 845 are being introduced.  With that being said, I agree that it’s not fair that we have to fight so hard to get our lives back, but life is challenging, and let’s face it, we are in this place, and in order to move on, we have to remain strong and active.   The mug shot companies that refuse to take our mug shots are in violation of the law; those are mainly the ones out of this country.   We have to believe HB 845 will cut off their supply of booking records.  Another way of drying them up is not to pay them at all, and not to support the companies that place ads on their sites. 

The POWER is really in our hands; we just need to put our heads, talents, and skills together to help end his injustice.  We will continue to exercise our rights under Georgia’s status, and demand they remove our mug shots.  Reclaim Our Dignity continues to fight for federal laws, and just maybe they will address the offshore companies in the process. 

In the meantime, we must give thanks to our victories and to Rep. Brian Strickland.  He was committed to helping us and with such zeal. Think about others behind us that will get wrongfully arrested and how this law will help that person to move on with their lives much quicker when we couldn’t.  That’s progress! Think about the possibility of being arrested again and how this law will help us.  That is progress!  We should never turn our noses up on progress when it helps someone else and even when it doesn’t help us.  It is when we can be unselfish that it comes back to us. We have to believe that the laws and systems we strive for will work in our best interest.

 Last year HB 150 was the beginning, and this year HB 845 piggybacked from it and we will continue to tweak and advocate for justice.  As the mug shot companies plot and plan as to how to keep up their racket, we utilize our laws to protect us. No one said it was going to be easy or the journey quick, but I will remind you that perseverance and dedication will always WIN. It’s the law of the universe. 

I am always reminded of Matthew 7: 7-8 “”Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8″For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.  Trust in this and it will not only work for you it will give you peace. 

 Action: Sign our petition for federal laws and get others to sign, so that lawmakers know that we are serious and need their help: http://chn.ge/1mhHRKB

March 03/03/2014 is Crossover Day at our State’s Capitol and HB 845 passed in the House unanimously right around 9:10 PM, and is heading on over to the Senate side… Yeah!!!!  

Last session, HB 150 paved the path to finding relief and justice to the many victims of private mug shot extortion.  It’s a long road ahead, but Reclaim Our Dignity will continue to advocate for justice until it’s the law of the land where innocent people are not being taken advantage of.  If you commit a crime, then you must prepare yourself to do the time.  However, true innocence must be free indeed.  No private entity should ever have control over anyone’s life and permanently for that matter.  I am glad that the Representatives of the State of Georgia are doing right by its citizens in this matter. 

See excerpt from HB 845 below:   

19 (c) An arresting law enforcement agency shall not provide or make available a copy of a

20 booking photograph in any format to a person requesting such photograph if:

21 (1) Such booking photograph may be placed in a publication or posted to a website or

22 transferred to a person to be placed in a publication or posted to a website; and

23 (2) Removal or deletion of such booking photograph from such publication or website

24 requires the payment of a fee or other consideration.

25 (d) When a person requests a booking photograph, he or she shall submit a statement

26 affirming that the use of such photograph is in compliance with subsection (c) of this Code

14                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               LC 29 5993S

H. B. 845 (SUB)

– 1 –

27 section. Any person who knowingly makes a false statement in requesting a booking

28 photograph shall be guilty of a violation of Code Section 16-10-20.”

Dear Mr. Olens:

I wrote you a letter on July 11, 2013, regarding compliancy issues with one of our laws; pursuant to the Official Code of Georgia, Section 10-1-393.5(b), subsection (2), as amended via Georgia House Bill 150, a bill duly signed into State law on May 6, 2013.  Mr. Drolet redirected me to the governor’s office of consumer protection. Both your office and the office of consumer protection were unable to offer any effective solutions.  On behalf of the thousands of victims in Georgia that this law is intended to give relief to is not being upheld.  It seems we are being mocked that our AG’s office is a non- action state.  Frankly, mugshots.com has stated both verbally and written that this law in question means nothing to them.  I am sure you will agree that if any entity threatens the stability of Georgians it’s this State’s duty to protect its citizens. Please indulge us by making a call to mugshots.com (800-818-3965) inquiring the removal of derogatory information of an innocent person and validate their response for yourself.  You will get the same response we all have, which is, “we are not abiding by this unconstitutional law; you must pay a removal fee”.  Then tell us why a private entity that is causing more harm than good has so much power over anyone’s life.  I took the liberty to view the duties of your office, its mission, vision, and guiding principles.  What stood out for me is your office guiding principles which says:

“We are at all times trustees and servants of the people. We will be accessible and responsive to them and will foster public confidence in this department.

Guided by the law, we will always strive to do what’s right

Our commitment to serve the public requires that we be completely trustworthy, dependable and self-disciplined and that we maintain an office of unquestionable honesty and integrity.”

I recently learned that your office has no intentions of enforcing the “mug shot” law based on the mug shot companies domicile in another country, and out of this state for that matter.  If these companies continue to negatively affect Georgians by extortion, vilifying the innocent, and others who have already paid their debt to society, they are subject to our laws regardless of where they are located. Your office has the means and authority to mandate mugshots.com to cease and desist their unethical practices in this State.  Your office promised to serve, protect, to be responsive to our cries and to foster our confidence that you will do what you promised.  So far, our confidence level is low, but we are not without hope that you will do what is right in the best interest of our citizens.  I understand enforcing one law over the other is at your discretion.   

Mr. Olens, we are simply asking, on behalf of the many victims that are suffering in the State of Georgia, and in conjunction with the Governor’s re-entry program, to prevent these private mug shot companies from holding its citizens hostage on the internet indefinitely and for monies they have not earned.  We are asking that your office which is guided by the law to have anyone or any entity that deals with Georgians to comply with our laws.  We are asking your office to stand up for us and protect us from both foreign and domestic harm.  We look forward to your careful decision in assisting us in this matter.   Thank you for your time and your service to this great State of Georgia. 

Regards,

Reclaim Our Dignity

Dear FB friends, I am advocating for people who have been arrested and negatively impacted by the process. GUILTY or NOT, private mug shot companies are making millions by posting the mug shots. This is INJUSTICE; NO private company should have such control over anyone’s life. Please sign my petition. Let’s SHUT them down and help restore lives: http://chn.ge/1jwuWTH

Release the Past and be Grateful for what is yet to Come.

    “This is the ending of another calendar year.  The past months were filled with promises, hopes, goals, and desires.  As you reflect on the past year, you may be touched with gratitude- or maybe with feelings of regret for what did or did not happen.  Consider how life moved through you.  Consider the changes that you moved through.  Reflect on how far you have come.  Understand that everything that you went through had a lesson for you.

  I choose to be grateful, regardless of what I went through.  I am grateful simply because I know that my life is the life of God.  I release the past joyfully with an open heart, and I welcome the New Year.  With God as my shepherd, I shall not want for anything.  I plant seeds of gratitude, wholeness, unity, prosperity, perfect health, and abundant blessings.”

 I know 2014 is going to be the best year of my life!  I believe it! I know it!   Believe it for you and trust that it will. 

 Be safe everyone!

Sophia

I heard this expression from a friend as we sat and talked about taking back our lives from the mug shot predators.  “Death by a Thousand Cuts” phrase is associated with Imperial China back in the 1900, as a slow slicing causing one’s death and as a form of punishment. 

In our fight for justice against mug shot companies we are doing just that: reaching out to anyone and anything that has anything to do with mug shot extortion survival.  We intend to continue slicing and or until Congress fix this issue permanently.  Google has made some changes and so have the credit card companies, and we hope they continue to do so.  Recently, Reclaim Our Dignity, on behalf of the many victims in America reached out to the Prime Minister of Belize, Honorable Dean Barrow, where one of the biggest culprits, mugshot.com is domicile.  The Prime Minister along with his Ministry of Human Development and Social Transformation, Ministry of Tourism and Culture, his Attorney General’s office were copied and all were made aware of the negative association their country face with extortion; there was no response.  It doesn’t’ matter where in the world we are, we all have a moral responsibility to humanity.  Enclosed is the letter:  

October 18, 2013

Dear Honorable Dean Barrow:

My name is Sophia Andrade, and I represent Reclaim Our Dignity, Inc. (R.O.D.), a nonprofit organization advocating on the behalf of individuals who find themselves physically, emotionally, or financially victimized by unscrupulous persons.  I am writing on behalf of myself and the many victims in America that are suffering at the hands of online mug shot profiteers.  The State of Georgia, my home State, enacted HB 150, and I was very instrumental in its passage. The current law under O.C.G.A. § 10-1-393.5 (b.1)(1)(B) prevents private mug shot companies from charging a mug shot removal fee of innocent/vindicated arrestees. 

Honorable Barrow, the purpose of my letter to you is merely to point out that the mother of all private online mug shot companies, Mugshots.com, is domiciled in Belize, and this letter represents my organization’s desperate plea for help.  Mugshots.com has refused to comply with our laws, and its actions disrespect not only our laws, but clearly your own country’s vision and constitution.  I have read Belize’s constitution and hope that the people of Belize would also respect other country’s values and, most importantly, the preservation of a person’s protection from oppression and humiliation at the hands of organizations intent on just one purpose … making money.  Hundreds of thousands of innocent/vindicated Americans are being vilified by Mugshots.com.  Victims are trying to move on with their lives with the little shred of dignity that is left from what was an already devastating experience.  Mugshots.com continues to hold people hostage on their website with absolutely no regard concerning their innocence or guilt.  The only option Mugshots.com provides is to give someone the opportunity to pay a substantial fee, in return for having their arrest data removed from Mugshots.com’s website.  Obviously, they are using Belize to run their company, as it is outside the jurisdiction of the United States court system.    Simply put, we are asking that justice prevail for everyone, that the innocent be allowed to put the past behind them, and that your country help us in our effort to regulate unscrupulous businesses, such as the one presently operating in Belize.

R.O.D. is advocating for Federal laws here in the United States; however, with your extensive experience in Government, I am sure you are aware that this journey can take a long time.  In the meantime, people are suffering. We are reaching out to you, the highest level of your government, hoping that there is some way your Ministry of Human Development and Social Transformation, or your Ministry of Tourism and Culture, or your Attorney General’s office will also see Mugshot.com’s immoral behavior, operating from your country, as a negative representation and image of your homeland.  

There is much media publicity in America on the many private mug shot companies operating this racket of extortion from many offshore countries.  They are over 75 mug shot companies, by my last count, and an owner sometimes owns more than one of these companies operating under different names. Victims have paid thousands of dollars but still their arrest records remain for the world to see … even after a not guilty verdict.  Mr. Prime Minister, it is sad when immoral people take no thought of ruining their own character, but to teardown others with them is despicable. Frederick Farrar said, “Man’s liberty ends, and it ought to end, when that liberty becomes the curse of others.”

The abuse of freedom ruins the much enjoyed liberties for so many others.  I implore you to investigate the immoral behaviors of Mugshots.com, whose primary corporate office address is stated as Mugshots.com, Unpublish, LLC, No: 55 Southern Foreshore, P.O. Box #1799, Belize City, Belize; 800-810-3965.  Accordingly, Mugshots.com is operating in your country, and I humbly ask that you help my non-profit organization to relieve the suffering of so many— for the betterment of humanity.   I look forward to your response to this letter. 

With kind regards,

Sophia Andrade

Sophia@reclaimourdignity.org

 404-626-8703

http://www.reclaimourdignity.org

This time of year many of us takeoff to spend time with family.  As for me and my family, we sat around the kitchen table with the smell of coffee brewing talking about our children, our parents, life, and the recent young black men and women merely seeking help and end up being killed for no reason, and of course, my ongoing fight of mug shots companies.  We all agreed on how one act of misfortunate can change your life drastically; for the better or for the worse.  I reflected on the many, many years when I was just a working single mom taking care of my children. I never dreamt of a day of mug shots woes.  But here I am with the reality of making one poor choice of association, and my life is filled with mug shots and an exhausting fight for justice.  My brother-in-law commented on the situation as “The Perfect Storm”.   As it is with many get-rich-quick schemes, private mug shot companies are no different.  If I was on fly on the wall when this big idea hit theses crooks, I bet I could hear them say, let’s run this race for as long as we can until someone comes along and tell us we can no longer advertise people’s lives for sale. Yes, this is their perfect storm, and why not?  By the time significant changes come, they would have made their millions from desperate citizens trying to move on with their lives.  In a Country where there are so many freedoms…the freedom of press allows and seems to condone such immoral behaviors.  I understand that Congress is too busy with international affairs, but in its own backyard its people are suffering.  I understand that I don’t understand all the urgent matters that our Chief of State and others leaders have to make, but I do know we have to put on the oxygen mask on ourselves first before we can help anyone else.  As for my Congressman, David Scott, I was told that he is more interested with military affairs, and that he may not care about my mug shot concerns. I hope that is not the case, but that is left to be seen.  We are forever left with questions: When will the laws that were created to maintain justice and protect its citizen do just that?  When will the victimized citizens be priority to this country?  When will we be heard?  When?

I wish my readers and fellow bloggers a Happy and Safe Thanksgiving!!!