Sex Offender Collects on Massachusetts "Billion Dollar Blockbuster" Lottery
Sex Offender Daniel Snay
Daniel Snay purchased a $20.00 lottery ticket at a convenience store and hit the jackpot in January this year. Snay, who is a father of five children was convicted of two offenses of INDECENT ASSAULT AND BATTERY ON CHILD UNDER 14 YEARS OF AGE in 1974 and 1976 and four offenses of INDECENT ASSAULT AND BATTERY ON A PERSON AGED 14 OR OLDER in 1986 and 1987.
The Massachusetts Sex Offender Registry Board web site classifies Daniel Snay as a "Level 3 Sex Offender" and states that level 3 sex offenders "have a high risk to re-offend and that the degree of dangerousness posed to the public is such that a substantial public safety interest is served by active community notification."
According to several news accounts, sex offenders in Massachusetts are not barred from gambling and according to foxnews.com, a judge ruled in January that a convicted bank robber, who was barred from gambling in his probation terms, could keep the $1 million that he won in a lottery.
Daniel Snay, 56, is currently employed at Certified Sales Inc., a boat dealership in Mendon, MA, where he is a truck driver. The convicted sex offender may have legal problems that do not involve money. The state of Connecticut Department of Public Safety Sex Offender Registry shows him to be in "Not in Compliance-Failure to Confirm Address" and Connecticut Trooper William Tate has gone on record stating that the offense is a felony and punishable by five years in prison.
There are reports that Snay wants to use the money for his children's college education. It would be interesting to know who his victims were, although I respect their right to privacy. There are also opinions on the Internet that state that his victims should get the money. I agree with that opinion, no matter who his victims were. I also believe that the law concerning state lotteries should be changed. Convicted sex offenders should not be allowed to win government lotteries. Judges, who rule that convicted bank robbers are allowed to keep their lottery wins even when gambling is in violation of their probation terms, should themselves be barred from practicing.
Daniel Snay has not had a conviction since 1987. Some may say that he has paid his debt to society. I certainly believe that rehabilitation is possible. But actions have consequences and one of the consequences of being a convicted sex offender should be that you do not get the same rights as those who are not convicted sex offenders.
Massachusetts and other states that would allow Daniel Snay and other convicted sex offenders to win their government lotteries need to change their laws. The government has no business rewarding convicted sex offenders.
Sources:
foxnews.com
Connecticut Department of Public Safety Sex Offender Registry
Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety
Published by Elena H
Experienced Web Writer, Voracious Reader, Christian, Happily Married Wife for 46 yrs, Proud Mom of 2 Adult Sons, Mimi to 3 Wonderful Granddaughters, Great Mother-in-Law, Care-taker of Elderly Mom View profile
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27 Comments
Post a CommentI have one question for all the parents out there... If this is so important... they why aren't you also lobbying for a Domestic Batterers public registry, don't you want to know if your child is dating or has dated or is married to or has been married to someone that can/will beat the living crap out of them for no reason? Or what about those people that live on your street and are habitual drunk drivers? don't you want to know if it is their car coming down the street to run down you and your children? How are these any less important? Is it because you are guilty of this yourself?
So according to what you said, even though a person has "payed his/her debt to society" they should continue to be punished for the rest of their lives? Well my friend that is what happens to ALL sex offenders. The SCARLET LETTER never goes away. Even after 10, 15, 20, 25 years and on and on. MOST I repeat MOST sex offenders either had an affair with a girlfriend/boyfriend that was under age or a outraged spouse during a divorce/custody battle claimed their spouse molested the children. Many on the registry had NO VICTIM at all... While I agree that the violent predators should be closely watched, I DO NOT believe the majority of these people that made a ONE TIME mistake should be PUNISHED for the rest of their lives. But thats what the laws have come to in the USA. Now you think they should have NO RIGHTS at all and if they get lucky enough to hit the lotto and can maybe do something for themselves that they should have to give it to someone else... WOW you should return to the USSR..
Anonymous Comments Blocked
Whoever wrote this article is not only retarded, but he obviously sees things from only his perspective. Whoever you are buddy, you're no better than the trash you speak of, you prejudiced loser.
I think the author of this piece needs some education on the purpose and practice of both the legislative and judicial branches of our government. No doubt he's a bad guy. It's up to government to govern; it's up to God to judge.
Excellent research and reporting!
1987 is a long time a ago. At what point do we allow previously convicted sex offenders or any other previously convicted criminals who have already served their sentences to put their past mistakes behind them? Why should previously convicted sex offenders have less rights than anyone else if they have already served their legally imposed sentence? Perhaps we should similarly strip rights from everyone who has ever made a mistake, which would put us all back on equal footing. We insist on forever demonizing, harassing and ostricizing sex offenders and then we wonder why they re-offend. With no friends, no job, no housing and most people convinced that they are extremely dangerous to society and will inevitably re-offend, it is amazing the re-offense rate is as low as it is. It is also amazing that the suicide rate is not closer to one hundred percent.
If he purchased the winning lottery ticket, why shouldn't he be entitled to collect the winnings? Are other previously convicted ex-criminals who have served their sentences prohibited from collecting lottery winnings? What about the ex-car theif or drug dealer? Do we deny lottery winnings to them? Why do we insist on singling out sex offenders and treating them differently? Winning the lottery probably helps compensate for lost earnings attributable to being in the sex offender registry and probably makes him less of a danger to society.
Good artical. I do agree that his victims should get the money but I also think that it wouldn't make up for what he did to them, nothing will.
I was very impressed with your reporting the facts. This certainly makes one think! They have questioned the validity of this ticket because he was possibly violating parole by going across state lines to purchase it but I don't know if that is true or not so I'm not presenting it as fact.