Lawrence Taylor Declared Sex Offender

Lawrence Taylor Declared Sex Offender
By JIM FITZGERALD

NEW CITY, N.Y. -- Former pro football star Lawrence Taylor, who pleaded guilty in January to sexual misconduct and patronizing an underage prostitute, was declared a low-risk sex offender on Tuesday.

Prosecutors argued for a level 2 designation. Instead, the judge chose the lower Level 1, which means a photo of the former New York Giants linebacker will not be posted on the online sex-offender registry.

Rockland County Court Judge William Kelly said Taylor's crime was already well-known.

"The difference between Level 1 and 2 is almost minuscule because of the notification that has already gone out to the world," said Kelly, who added that Taylor "would be awfully foolish to go out and do this again."

The NFL Hall of Fame member did not attend the hearing.

The girl was 16 – under the age of consent – when she met Taylor. He said she claimed she was 19.

Last month, the teenager made a surprise appearance at Taylor's sentencing, eager to declare that he should be behind bars, but she was denied the chance to speak in court.

Speaking outside court, she denied she was a prostitute, and she said Taylor should have been able to tell she had been beaten and that she was underage.

Taylor was sentenced to six years' probation, as agreed when he pleaded guilty in January.