JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The city has paid $20,000 to the family of a man who was incorrectly labeled a sex offender by the tax collector’s office.
For six months Andrew Flaherty had no idea his ID card showed he was sex offender.
“He had tried to get on the naval base with his brother and they almost arrested him, were very, very upset with him and said some choice things because here was a sexual offender trying to get on the naval base, and he said ‘Wait, wait, wait no I'm not,'” said John Phillips, Flaherty’s attorney.
Flaherty, who was legally blind, died last year before the agreement was met.
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Phillips says a tax collector’s office employee accidentally checked the sex offender box instead of organ donor.
His family says they are relieved to have closure but are calling for changes to the system.