Thirty-year-old Joshua Herbinger was an evidence technician with the Birmingham police Department.
He is also a convicted sex offender, who has repeated his crime at least six times and was fired from his job for these sexual transgressions. His crimes include repeatedly abusing an underage child.
Although he was sentenced to jail last week, he has found his way back into the community after posting a $ 50,000 bond. There are two main conditions to his release; to stay away from computers and to steer clear of his victim.
He will live in his grandmother’s home in Pleasant Grove.
Herbinger’s crimes first came to light after a child less than 12 years old reported to her school resource officer that she was being abused by the older man.
He first started exploiting the young girl when she must have been around nine years old.
Albaster police carried out a week-long investigation following the young girl’s statement and found he was guilty of at least four counts of abusing an underage child.
Herbinger was arrested for his crime on October 9, 2014. He managed to leave the jail after posting his bond, which was set at $ 80,000. Following this, he was placed on administrative duty with pay.
Only days later, he was charged and arrested with first-degree rape of an adult woman. This time the bond was set at $ 60,000 – he managed his release the same day.
The department confirmed that he was not in any kind of relationship with either victim.
At the end of October last year, the department decided to dismiss him.
Now, further evidence has surfaced that Herbinger abused the same underage victim in South Alabama as well. According to court records filed by an Orange Beach police investigator, the man was on holiday when he carried out his acts.
He was indicted for the new charge in August this year and was sent to Baldwin County Jail last week, once again he has managed to find his way out after posting the bond.
The public is enraged that the perverted man is out in the open and a bond was even set for him in the first place.
Many are rallying for him to be registered as a sex offender at the very least; however, there are those who argue that the register is just a “feel good” measure and has no real impact.
Nonetheless, the community’s concerns seem valid in light of his disturbing history.