Houston Chronicle/Renee C. Lee
Samantha Portwood's son pleaded guilty to aggravated sexual assault at age 12. He's
now 24 and Portwood awaits the day this month he is removed from Texas' sex offender
registry. For the past decade Dale Portwood has lived under public scrutiny for a crime he
committed when was 12. He inappropriately touched a 7 year old girl at his baby sitter's
house and was charged with aggravated sexual assault. After completing two years of therapy
and probation, he had to register as a sex offender, which shocked his parents. Dale isn't
alone. About 3,600 people on the state's registry were added as juveniles. Eleven were
10 years old when they registered. The registry has 26 juveniles who are currently 13 to 16
years old. Of the more than 340 juvenile registrants who live in Harris County, three are
currently 16 years old. Texas does not have a minimum age for juvenile registration, but the
minimum age for prosecution is 10.
(Texas)