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Thursday, February 1, 2018

Predator Who Went to Hotel to Rape Two Children Will Walk With a Clean Record Because Representative Grossell's Bill Did Not Pass

John Duc Pham
Convicted last week, child predator John Duc Pham is #24 on our Washington County Watchdog list. See: http://wcwatchdog.com/stings/  Read the Criminal Complaint how on April 6th 2016 John Pham arranged to meet who he thought was a 15 year old child and her “little sister” for “straight sex” with the children at a hotel in Oak Park Heights. Pham was arrested when he arrived to the hotel room and later charged with agreeing to hire a child for prostitution it appears.


He is one of dozens who have been caught in child trafficking stings the County used to conduct. However, they now focus solely on trying to catch pimps. Nearly all these pimps caught in the County are soliciting adult prostitutes. To best of our knowledge, the county has only caught one operation that may have been using a minor (17 years old). It's unfortunate the County appears to have completely abandoned catching child predators with stings. Some experts believe that the original approach the County was using to combat the rampant sex crime on children in Washington County is more effective than chasing Tinder, Backpage, and Craigslist ads in the "adults seeking adults" section for child victims. That is, continue stings that catch child predators. It dries up the market two fold by catching and identifying sex offenders who prey on kids while scaring off those who have not yet been caught. Better yet, do both, attack the problem from both sides. County attorney Pete Orput is one phone call away from nearly a dozen legislators in Washington County who would most certainly author a bill for any dollar amount to combat child sex trafficking. Especially when we have Representative Kelly Fenton who authored a bill to fund a park that was already fully funded privately!

Problem number one is the County Attorney Pete Orput and prosecutor Imran Ali agree'd to this insane plea deal for Pham it appears. Because he's getting off with a "stay of adjudication." Which means this guy who went to a hotel to rape a 15 year old and her "little sister" is going to have a clean record if he finishes his measly 5 years of probation. Problem 2, is the law exists. See the article on how the loophole works:

How can this be when the law was supposed to be changed thanks to the lead of republican Matt Grossell who authored a bill first thing last 2017 session to close this loophole? The bill was HF1572SF1895 sponsored by Representative Matt Grossel and had over 30 other legislator co-signers combined. There were many other good sex offender reform bills that were also killed in the public safety omnibus that was finished nearly two months before session ended.

It was because Senator Limmer along with other senate leaders who killed this bill at the request of the Minnesota County Attorneys Association (MCAA). They killed this bill and several others like it because they were "too sweeping" and "needed more time for review" even though this bill and others were done months before session ended. MCAA says the plea deals are "tools" for prosecutors.

Doing away with adjudication for sex offenders is not "sweeping." Even California, (arguably, the most liberal state in the Country) has done away with adjudication for sex offenders! 

Sex offenders like John Pham and many others throughout the State are continuing to walk back into the shadows because of legislators like Senator Limmer who apparently do not take child rape seriously enough to pass some common sense laws. Please contact your legislators. see: www.leg.state.mn.us/leg/districtfinder


The solution is in Minnesota law makers hands to make it so no sex crime against a child goes without mandated prison time and sex offender registration. Currently most child rapists rarely do more than a year in jail and no more than 10 years on the sex offender registry. See more about the solution here: Rampant Sex Crime on Children, in Just 2yrs, 10 Cases From County Alone, 8 Simple Laws to Update

For many more examples from Washington County of convicted sex offenders still on our streets see our other posts here:
wcwatchdog.com/local-sex-offender-articles/

DATE: 1/24/2018 
DEFENDANT: John Duc Pham 
DOB: 1/1/1965 
CITY/RESIDENCE: Columbia Heights, 
MN AGENCY: Washington County Sheriff's Office 
JUDGE: John C. Hoffman 
CONVICTION: Prostitution - Actor Hires or Agrees to Hire and Reasonably Believes Under 18 
SENTENCE: 
Stay of adjudication and all other recommendations of the pre-sentence investigation. 
5 years of probation, complete 40 hours of community work service within 120 days. Pay fine of $500. 

*In no way do we wish harm to the convicted sex offenders outside the judgement of the law. Posting each criminal's data allows the public to decide from the evidence if they appreciate knowing such data. Such as what these sex offender's last known address is. No representation is made that the individuals listed here are currently on the state's offenders registry. All names presented here were gathered at a past date. Some persons listed might no longer be registered offenders and others might have been added. Some addresses or other data might no longer be current. Owners of Washington County Watchdog assume no responsibility (and expressly disclaim responsibility) for updating this site to keep information current or to ensure the accuracy or completeness of any posted information. All data was only accurate at the time of posting per Government sources provided. Accordingly, you should confirm the accuracy and completeness of all posted information before making any decision related to any data presented on this site. The information on this web site is made available solely to protect the public. Anyone who uses this information to commit a crime or to harass an offender or his or her family is subject to criminal prosecution and civil liability. Message us if you can verify us of an address or change in data.  Washington County Watchdog is not responsible for the accuracy of the content shared, refer to our linked government sources.