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New law could ban sex offenders from taking pictures of minors

Camera display, showing Berlin cathedral (Berlin, Germany)

AUGUSTA (NEWS CENTER Maine) -- After parents raised concerns last week over a registered sex offender taking pictures of young girls and posting them online, the Maine legislature will vote on a new law that could protect girls in the future.

Augusta Police said they received many complaints about a sex offender in the area taking pictures without consent, posting them online. The sex offender, however, was not breaking any laws, according to police.

“It came to my attention last week that a registered sex offender with a history of abusing children was visiting local shops to take candid photographs of young girls, without their parent’s knowledge or consent, and posting those photographs on the internet," Representative Matthew Pouliot (R-Augusta) wrote in a press release. "While the community was rightfully outraged, law enforcement was unable to act, as the perpetrator wasn’t actually breaking any laws. That’s why, at the request of a number of constituents, I have introduced LR 2863."

The law would make the intentional photographing of a minor without consent of the minor's parent or guardian by a registered sex offender a class D crime.

The legislature will vote on Thursday at 1:30 p.m.

"I hope that Legislative Council sees the merit and advances this bill for consideration this year. I hope we can all agree that we should act upon this legislation as quickly as possible before more families fall victim to this sort of criminal behavior,” said Rep. Pouliot.

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