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
reclaimourdignity 