In July 1978, Longino Acero entered a plea of nolo contendre for lewd conduct with an adult woman, which did not require registration as a sex offender.  As a result of a clerical error, Acero’s conviction was recorded as child molestation, a crime that did require registration.  From 1994 to 2004, Acero was charged by Santa Clara County, California with failure to register as a sex offender.  Though Acero told his public defenders that he had never committed a crime against a minor, his attorneys failed to check the court file, and repeatedly advised him to plead guilty.  Acero pled guilty three times, serving jail sentences ranging from four months to over two years, and was publicly labeled a high-risk sex offender.  In September 2005, Acero received a letter from the police department stating that his conviction had been recorded incorrectly and he was not and had not ever been required to register as a sex offender.  After retaining a private attorney, Acero petitioned the Santa Clara County Court to overturn his convictions for failure to register.  The court granted his petition in March 2006, his guilty pleas were withdrawn, and the charges were dismissed.