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By James Williams | Staff Editor
By James Williams | Staff Editor
A flier found on campus by a member of the Viewpoints staff April 1 revealed that Doug Figueroa, president of Associated Students of Riverside City College, is a registered sex offender.
Figueroa, 40, was convicted of kidnapping a child under the age of 14 years old “with intent to commit lewd or lascivious acts.”
Figueroa, who was elected as president of Associated Student of RCC during the 2012 spring semester, had informed college administration about his past.
“He told us about this before he was elected to office,” RCC President Cynthia Azari said.
Prior to being elected, Ed Bush, RCC vice president of Student Services, talked with Figueroa to ensure that he would comply with the terms of his probation, according to Azari.
“I also talked with (Figueroa) and there are certain events he cannot attend, like Halloween Town and Bunny Hop, because there are children on campus,” she said.
Viewpoints contacted Figueroa, but he did not comment. He instead directed the newspaper to Bush and President Azari.
UPDATE: After this story was published Viewpoints received the following message from ASRCC President Doug Figueroa
MESSAGE FROM ASRCC PRESIDENT
Many times I am reminded that life will always come with challenges and struggles to help us build the skills necessary to survive. I often hear the old cliché that our history defines who we are today, but I know that our present status defines who we are and that our history is an invaluable resource to draw from so that we are able to make better decisions for ourselves.
We all have the capability of making the best and the worst of decisions throughout our lives. And some of those decisions can have a life-long impact. It is up to us to give ourselves the opportunity to live a better life, to make better decisions and not allow our past to define who we are today. It is also our responsibility to give each other that opportunity and chance to be a better person.
For some people it is easier to point the flaws of another instead of looking at the problems in their own life, easier to knock someone down when presented the opportunity. We all have our own story, our own mistakes and our own successes. Some stories are left in diaries, journals or in those dark spaces of our memory while other stories are public for the world to see. Whichever the case may be,
they are our stories and it is up to us how we chose to carry the narrative.
It is about the decisions we make today and the value that we add to one another’s lives that makes a better difference than our own flaws or those of others. Ours can be a society in which we judge first then ask for understanding later. We have conditioned our minds to stigmatize anything that we don’t understand or perhaps because we are taught that once you have done something bad that you cannot change.
We are all in this institution to learn and to change ourselves for the better of our own humanity. We are here to invent ourselves and at times, reinvent ourselves for the second, third, or even fourth time. Learning to understand the human condition and the good and bad that come with it is a gift that the structure of instruction imparts on us.
You must ask yourself if you are doing everything you can to be the person you want to be. Do not let life’s mishaps define who you have to be. I have made mistakes in my life, but I have learned from them, accepted the consequences of them, made a difference in my life and will continue to make a difference for the lives of those in my community. Don’t get me wrong, it has not and will not be easy and there will always be those that find humor in bringing you down, but we all must choose to be resilient so we can overcome anything.
In holding a public student office, I understand that there will always be those that are malicious and try to prevent good from happening, whether you are president of a community college student body or the greatest nation on Earth. But I am a strong person, a strong leader and through the support of many friends and colleagues, I will continue fighting for the good of every student at Riverside City College. I will continue to serve as a civil servant; fight for what is right without looking back; teaching others about tolerance and understanding. I ask for your support in continuing to make a difference on this campus and in this world.
Lastly, remember who you are and the environment you want to be a part of. Remember that you can make a difference in the lives of others by showing wisdom, compassion and understanding. Let’s build communities that rehabilitate, not condemn.
Doug Figueroa, President
Associate Students of Riverside City College
Hello
hi
Doug, I was a student in class with you last year. I will say that you are lucky I did not know back then the kind of man you are, a man who has preyed on children and now has the nerve to try and represent our school and student body—a school which happens to have a number of underaged students, btw.
Yes, you have the right to try and better yourself and get an education. What you do not have the right to do is run for such an important office while concealing the fact that you are a CRIMINAL. A kidnapper and a pedophile. These are not qualities which I want in our student body President! So please, continue your efforts to try better yourself but remember your place, Doug. You are not fit to lead, both by your past actions and how even in your letter your exhibit a clear lack of contrition, both for your crime against a child and for your deception to the RCC student body.
http://www.nsopw.gov/en-US/Search/ResultDetails/0
This is a link I found through Megan’s Law. This guy is right across the street from young children.
Offense Code
207(b)
Description
KIDNAPPING A CHILD UNDER THE AGE OF 14 YEARS OLD WITH INTENT TO COMMIT LEWD OR LASCIVIOUS ACTS
Offense Code
288(a)
Description
LEWD OR LASCIVIOUS ACTS WITH A CHILD UNDER 14 YEARS OF AGE
He talks about second, third, and fourth chances. WHERE is this child’s chance?
Ethan, remember the law works in more ways than just conviction it also includes judgement and satisfying the terms of judgement. Yes it is true that what is on public record is what has occurred, however I ask you to provide our society with what you believe(not feel) is the better solution?
I don’t know you, but with all due respect I get the impression that you are so passionate about your feelings that you may take an old west mentality where you want to string someone up and hang them either literally or figuratively. That or at the very least you feel that our justice system should keep someone like Doug locked up forever.
In a society such as ours, both are not options here and I believe that you must realize the costs(both financially and from a societal standpoint) involved to society should we simply “lock away and throw away the key.” If you think that our prisons are over crowded now, just consider for a moment the costs(both to tax payers and society as a whole) involved if we as a society took that route for everyone who abused another person?
I’d also like to think that our society has moved beyond the attitudes of the old west. Yes we have capital punishment, but that’s really not an option here because our legal system has metrics in place which measure certain crimes with certain punishments. Just like you wouldn’t execute a thief who stole a computer, lock up someone who ran a red light, and so on.
You also ask about where is the child’s chance, well the child has the opportunity to go on living and to move forward in life and hopefully, put the awful memories of abuse in the back of their mind and create better and good life long memories That is the child’s chance!
What he done stay in his past and you people think you doing good by reporting this … well you not ..now everybody know of him. Dont you guys think what this going to effect his life now everybody know he a sex offender? I know some “sex offender” who are innocent and their kids yes their kids lie on them just because they dont get what they want. Heck I got sexual abuse as a kid all the way up to 16 and guess what that is in my past and I dont care about it or really think about it because it no way changing the past. Same as there no way changing his past and I am not saying he innocent because like you I dont know what the f going on. And before you write a story please get your fact right instead of just googling his name.
Tammy, I am worried about you. If you truly were sexually abused for so long, you need help. There are people that are willing to do that. To identify or support an abuser is mentally unhealthy.
Really doug, you made this about everyone else rather than yourself?
Mr. Figueroa how can you prove to the people of the world that you don’t have any thoughts of hurting children anymore? It’s easy for me to point my finger at you because you have been caught and I will do the same thing to others who get caught; you should be lucky that’s all I do. All I have is the surviving sex offenders to point my finger at because the person that victimized me never paid for their crimes and is now dead. Don’t think just because you are going to school and playing Mr. President that you are making up for the hurt and disgust your victim goes through.
To: Our dearest Doug.
We are glad to know that the people continue to expose you for what you are; you are registered sex offender. We realize we don’t have to remind you of that, but what we want to remind you is that you became a registered sex offender prior to becoming RCC’s student body president. Just like all politicians you are a liar. Our name is the Victim and to find us all you have to do is yell out our name at school and we will show you our face.
From: Victims of Child Abuse
I sorry what happened to you but what happened to you is long in the past and you just need to move on because there no point of keeping the anger in you or pointing finger. Because there no changing what happened and you should just live in the now and not in the past. Because let me tell you.. I was once like you I hate what they did to me and I hated them. I can’t even tell you how much time I plot their death .. how I will make them pay for doing this to me .. but then it became so much of them that I begin to forget the other face .. and that when I stop. I stop being a VICTIM and begin standing up for my self.. and guess what ? That all I needed to stop this anger in me that was developing to something more to something evil..
What I am trying to say pointing a finger at him without getting the whole fact is just not right. We dont know anything about him all we now he done something. Something that he sorry for and just being sorry about something does help alot.
Mr. Figueroa, I just wanted to remind you that there are many people who believe change is possible, and who will not take it upon themselves to label you or treat you as a scapegoat. I liked this blog not because of the subject matter. It’s just that I agree that rehabilitation is far more valuable than condemnation. I’ve never met you, but I attended the Riverside campus beginning when I was a minor, and graduated with an associate’s degree. The point is, I understand the concern over the crime. But I also understand that the consequences to which you referred probably entailed a great deal more than most people who would call attention to this realize.
You’ve likely had to work through this with your family and you also probably lost a lot from your life (time, plans, money, privacy) very suddenly. Such an event must totally change your life. Whatever happened in your past is between you and the people it involved. I like that you are free and working at a valuable job. I like that you have this opportunity.
It’s a very difficult thing for people to determine what justice entails, or when enough is enough. I’m not the expert. No matter what, it takes a lot of strength to face criticism, and much more if it is from the demographic you serve. Keep your head up. It is inspirational to see someone with a good heart. So keep a good heart, and you will be inspiring.
As an older student in their 30’s attending a 4 year university, I heard about this story while listening to KFI 640 on my way home from class today and I just cringed at the thought of this. I couldn’t help but feel sad for Doug because when it comes down to it, he is no different than any college student in that he has made a decision to move his life forward and regardless of his past, and decided that he is going to make sure that his future is a positive one by getting an education. I understand that there will always be those who vilify others for their past mistakes, however let us as a community of students and human beings, come to an understanding and agreement that people like Doug have the right to live life rehabilitated.
When one makes the horrible mistake of being a sex offender in the first place, they go through the legal system and accept whatever punishment is given to them. Part of that punishment is that yes, he is on record as being a sex offender, however I challenge anyone in the RCC and even the entire student community in Southern California to post here and claim that Doug does not have a right to make his life better. Do we not believe in second chances?
Obviously the person who made his status as a sex offender known to the media has their own motives, and while I cannot understand what those motives are, I will say that they are questionable. What good does it do to bring this out to the RCC community and the rest of Southern California? Certainly it doesn’t make life better for RCC students and their families; nor does it improve the quality of life for anyone in general. This appears to have been released by someone who clearly has something against Doug, and if that is the case, then releasing this information was done in poor taste and that person who has done this has absolutely no class whatsoever.
It would be another issue if Doug were to say for example, be sitting in a parked car in front of an elementary school on a daily basis and a concerned parent was doing some research and released his sex offender status information to the media. This isn’t an issue where a registered sex offender is having a relapse and is trying to harm others.
Instead this issue is about someone who was convicted, punished(regardless if you agree or disagree with the punishment), and is now working hard to get an education.
Why release this information about someone who is obviously on the right path in life? I say leave the guy alone and mind your own business because unless he is harming others, the only “crime” he has committed as of late was trying to live as a decent human being.
I agree with you and happy I am not the only one who think his past is his past not something that we can charge him from.
So what about the child’s chance? Can he truly have a second chance when the first was ripped away from him? Would you feel the same way if it was your child? Something to think about, Jim.
Ethan,
Yes, I would feel the same way if it was my child because I would teach them that the rule of law prevails regardless of what crimes have been committed. That doesn’t mean that I as a parent have to like or agree with the disgusting actions of the perpetrator, but I certainly don’t want my children believing that because someone commits a crime that society should never give them a chance to redeem themselves.
Don’t forget that this is the United States where all of us have Constitutionally protected rights. We need to be very careful here if we start wanting to continue to punish those who have already paid for their crimes by going through the process within the criminal justice system. I understand that clearly this is a passionate issue but I’m not going to agree that we need to continue to punish someone over and over for the past crimes that they have committed.
Ethan, I encourage you to ask yourself the question of what do you think should be done with people who have committed crimes and have satisfied their respective commitments under the criminal justice system?
Remember, we can not keep such persons locked up indefinitely realistically speaking, so the only logical choice here is to have a system in place where people have the opportunity to create a positive change for their lives and hopefully contribute to as good,productive members of society.
Disgusting. Like all twisted perverts, he attempts to paint himself a victim. I don’t care what negative fallout he has received, or will receive as a result of his crimes – the child he harmed will always have to live with much more suffering. He is NOT who I want representing me as a student of RCC, and I am disgusted and I feel cheated that we were not made aware of this before we voted. I would NOT have voted for him! Being a leader takes more than the ability to write an articulate letter. A true leader has integrity and good character – inside and outside of the position in which they are representing. He and the RCC administration have deceived us. I refuse to have “compassion” for a child rapist, kidnapper or molester, etc. There is no level of understanding, or forgiveness that he deserves. His life deserves to be destroyed. It is his fault alone, for his unethical, immoral and illegal decisions.
AMEN