A few weeks back, we reported that a 60-year-old Gresham man convicted of felony sex crimes a few years ago petitioned Multnomah County to allow him to own firearms again.
A judge last week denied Susi's petition, said assistant county attorney Jackie Kamins. He still can't legally own guns.
At the time, we didn't know much about Mark Susi's crimes, just that he was convicted of two counts of sexual abuse in the second degree and one count of sodomy in the third degree for something he did in 2011, when he was 54. Per state code, that meant it had to do with a child and penetration without consent. We know more about that now (see below).
After his conviction, court records indicate he didn't serve any more prison time, but had to do therapy and sex offender programs, and restrictions on his access to children, the internet, and pornography.
In his petition to Multnomah County seeking to restore his rights to own guns — which felons need to do if they want guns again — he laid out that he's a family-man who wants to go hunting with his son and grandson again: "I have always been a bird hunter and I would like to resume that hobby," he wrote.
He also said the felony sex crimes he committed against a child when he was 54 was just because of poor judgement.
Over five years ago when I was 54, I made a mistake in judgment. I am 60 now and I paid a heavy price for that mistake, but now I wish to have my full rights restored.
A judge said no.
The denial likely had to do with the county's response to Susi's petition, showing he could still be a threat to the public. The county's attorney attached investigative files from the 2011 incident he went down for — he raped a drunk and high, barely-conscious 15-year-old runaway — and also included files that showed Susi was investigated in 2006 for raping a 16-year-old he put in handcuffs, who he also reportedly threatened with a gun.
"Petitioner cannot prove that he is no longer a threat," reported Kamins in the county's response. "In May and June 2011, when he was 55, petitioner engaged in several sexual encounters with a 15-year-old runaway. Petitioner was working as a maintenance man in the apartment complex where the victim lived. He groomed her over time by giving her cigarettes, marijuana, and alcohol. Petitioner participated in sexual acts, including intercourse, when the victim was not completely conscious."
This wasn't an isolated incident.
"In 2005, petitioner was investigated for a sexual encounter with a 16-year-old girl," the county wrote. "According to the victim, petitioner choked and handcuffed her. He then digitally and orally penetrated her and forced her to engage in oral sex with him while she was handcuffed. The investigating officer observed marks around the victim's wrist and throat. The victim also reported that the petitioner threatened her with a gun on a camping trip. It does not appear that petitioner was prosecuted for these events."
Susi can petition the government for the right to own guns again once per year.