Zach Anderson from Indiana is the latest example of how sex offender registries have been diluted with people who arent sexual predators and dont actually pose a threat to society.

Last December, 19-year-old Anderson went on an an adult dating app called Hot or Not and met a girl who told him she was 17 years old. Anderson crossed state lines to Michigan and the two met up at a playground shortly after their online exchange and had sex. Everything seemed fine until he was greeted by police soon after.

Anderson learned the girl had lied to him about her age, and she was really 14 years old. Anderson was prosecuted for statutory rape, and pleaded guilty with the hope that his clean record would result in leniency by Judge Dennis Wiley. Even though Anderson qualified for the Holmes Youthful trainee Act (HYTA), which would allow him to serve a youthful trainee probationary term the judge wasnt too interested in being lenient.

Even after the girl and her mother both testified that she had lied about her age and that they didnt consider Anderson a sexual predator, Judge Wiley still sentenced him to three months in Berrien County jail, 25 years on Michigans sex offender registry, and five years of probation.

Since Andersons brother is a 15-year-old, he can no longer live with his parents. He is also forbidden from using computers or smartphones for the rest of his life. Anderson and his family are fighting to get Judge Wiley to agree to re-sentencing him, but so far Wiley has deferred the case to consider other judicial precedent.

Records from court proceedings indicate that Judge Wiley had a grudge against hook-up culture, and it seems as though he wanted to take his frustration out on Anderson.

You went online, to use a fishermans expression, trolling for women to have sex with. That seems to be part of our culture now: meet, hook up, have sex, sayonara. Totally inappropriate behavior, Wiley said.