For those who don’t follow college baseball, Luke Heimlich is the ace pitcher for Oregon State, who enters this year’s College World Series as the favorite with a 54-4 record this season. In 2012, Heimlich pleaded guilty to one felony count of sexually molesting a 6-year-old female relative in Washington (his home state). Heimlich registered as a sex offender in Oregon upon his entering college there, but in April, he was cited for failing to update his registration.
An Oregonian reporter discovered this citation while working on a story featuring Heimlich. With his juvenile conviction discovered and trending as a major news topic, Heimlich released a statement asking to be excused from the team. He did not make the trip to Omaha with his team this weekend, and it appears his baseball future is now in serious jeopardy.
As the Pac 12 Conference pitcher of the year, Heimlich was expected to be an early round MLB draft pick; instead, due to his past juvenile conviction, Heimlich went undrafted.
The Luke Heimlich story clearly illustrates the terrible impact a sex offense conviction can have in one’s life. Being branded a sex offender can cost one his job, home, friends, and family. Registered sex offenders cannot live or work within a thousand feet of a school. They must update personal information with the sex offender registry regularly, follow rules about social media and internet usage, and can be cited for any number of violations. At KnoxDefense we understand the collateral consequences of sex offense charges and convictions. We are prepared with our knowledge, experience, and expertise to help those suffering from those consequences.