Oregon Court Backs Extra Two Years Behind Bars for Sex Offender's Valentine's Note

An Oregon appeals panel affirmed keeping a convicted sex offender in prison longer after he sent a romantic message to a female corrections employee on Valentine's Day.

Oregon Court Backs Extra Two Years Behind Bars for Sex Offender's Valentine's Note

An Oregon appeals panel has affirmed keeping a convicted sex offender in prison longer after he sent a romantic message to a female corrections employee on Valentine's Day, according to Courthouse News Service.

The Court of Appeals in Salem ruled Tuesday that parole officials acted properly in extending the man's confinement by two years. The handwritten slip asked the worker: "If it's not too much trouble — will you be my valentine?"

Justices determined the gesture broke institutional rules in a serious way given the prisoner's documented background of violence against women and what authorities described as deeply flawed attitudes regarding romantic and sexual connections with females. These factors, the court concluded, made the note a genuine threat to institutional safety rather than a harmless expression.

The ruling means the offender will remain behind bars until 2028, two years beyond his original scheduled release date. The decision reflects parole officials' authority to impose additional detention time when inmates nearing release demonstrate conduct suggesting they pose continued danger.

The case highlights how corrections officials interpret seemingly minor interactions as potential warning signs, particularly when dealing with individuals whose criminal histories involve gender-based violence.

Source: Courthouse News Service