On the recordJune 11, 1998
I appreciate that. The trial and resulting conviction of Jesse Timmendequas for the murder of Megan Kanka was harrowing for all Americans. The thought that someone so violent and dangerous could live across the street from any family in America is chilling. In Friendswood, Texas, in my district, we are still looking for the individual who kidnapped and murdered 12-year-old Laura Kate Smither last year. When we do find this individual, there is a strong likelihood that we will find someone who has committed a sexual offense against a child in the past. We can make that assumption based on the research that shows that the typical sex offender molests an average of 117 children. It is a sad reality that community notification is an absolute necessity. Megan's Law was a giant step forward, and today we try to fill in the last few remaining gaps.
Source
govinfo.gov
