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Somebody in my neighborhood

Is a registered tier 3 sex offender (meaning his victim was a child) Indifferent  Yesterday when I found out I was about ready to pack up the kids and move.  But I have calmed down a bit since then and realized that because of the location of his house, my kids should never have reason to be near his house.  I always checked the Megan's law website while we were looking at houses to see who was in the neighborhood but I guess living in a new plan there are always new people moving in.  You just never think "these people" live on your street.   

 

 

Re: Somebody in my neighborhood

  • At least you know he's there and can be aware.  The scary part is all of the people who AREN'T registered.  
  • That is something we always checked when we were looking at houses and land--but you're right, you can't control who moves in.  And I agree with previous poster--atleast with a registered offender you know and take precautions.

    Our one neighbor comes up in the clear, but he creeps me out and always asks about Brinley. 

    imageBaby Birthday Ticker Ticker Baby Birthday Ticker Tickera>
  • Scary.

    But, this is what I say to DH when he says he wants to move on account of our bad neighbors. You just can't control that aspect of where you live, unfortunately. Even if you had background checks run and determined that all of your neighbors were outstanding citizens, they could move out tomorrow and who knows who would replace them. Unless you live in a completely isolated area (which would scare me even more), you just don't know who is going to end up next door!

  • I'm going to play devil's advocate for a moment because I have read too many stories about the downsides of the sex offender registry list. What is the age definition of a "child" in this case? Because a high school senior can get on the sex offender registry for having consensual sex with his 15 year old girlfriend. I'm not sure if this could be the case for the person you found online, but there are lots of cases of people being put on the registry for offenses that are in no way threatening to our kids. And the chances of a "real" sex offender doing anything to one of your kids is infinitesimal.

    I absolutely think it is important to talk to our kids about "tricky" people and situations with strangers that don't feel right...but I don't think those websites are helpful.

    Heather Margaret --- Feb '07 and Todd Eldon --- April '09

    image
  • I used to run sex offender groups in a maximum and minimum security prison.  Though it always helps to know who has been convicted of a sex crime, I hate to be the one to tell you that 9 times out of 10 those people are not convicted for what they have done.  They plea bargain, or they get caught on something that was worse/better on the spectrum of sex crimes, and they serve time based on what they are charged and convicted of...which doesn't always match up.  I take the stance that if you are caught and convicted of a sex crime, then you have done FAR worse.  I've heard people admit to having hundreds of "hands off" and "hands on" victims...but, they were convicted of a sex crime against one person.  It's scary.  But, I also know that I am more in the know than the average person.  Be on your guard about the person you know is a convicted felon in that area...but, also be aware that there are many, many more that you will never hear about.  It's a pretty scary world we live in.  I have to distance myself and use common sense when it comes to living our lives...it's the only way for me to sleep at night. 
  • imageMrsAmers:

    I'm going to play devil's advocate for a moment because I have read too many stories about the downsides of the sex offender registry list. What is the age definition of a "child" in this case? Because a high school senior can get on the sex offender registry for having consensual sex with his 15 year old girlfriend. I'm not sure if this could be the case for the person you found online, but there are lots of cases of people being put on the registry for offenses that are in no way threatening to our kids. And the chances of a "real" sex offender doing anything to one of your kids is infinitesimal.

    I absolutely think it is important to talk to our kids about "tricky" people and situations with strangers that don't feel right...but I don't think those websites are helpful.

    It was his 9 year old niece and he was around 38 at the time.

     
  • Wow, they list that level of detail on the website? Or that's the rumor? People are sick.

    This is one nice thing about our new hood. Despite the whack job next door, we won't have any registered offenders moving in b/c we're a stone throw from an elementary school :)

  • imageMandyMilller:

    Wow, they list that level of detail on the website? Or that's the rumor? People are sick.

    This is one nice thing about our new hood. Despite the whack job next door, we won't have any registered offenders moving in b/c we're a stone throw from an elementary school :)

    Not everyone convicted of a sex crime is a registered sex offender...That's the sad part.  :(

  • imageLittleD8081:
    imageMandyMilller:

    Wow, they list that level of detail on the website? Or that's the rumor? People are sick.

    This is one nice thing about our new hood. Despite the whack job next door, we won't have any registered offenders moving in b/c we're a stone throw from an elementary school :)

    Not everyone convicted of a sex crime is a registered sex offender...That's the sad part.  :(

    There is a police officer who lives in the neighborhood and he came across this info at work. 

    It just shocked me because this guy is married with children, apparently has a super great job and lives in one of the nicest/most expensive houses in the neighborhood. 

    I guess I should be thankful there is a very nice distance between our houses and he's not my neighbor.  Even when we take walks we don't go to that corner of the plan and now we never will. 

     
  • imagelala5507:

    It just shocked me because this guy is married with children, apparently has a super great job and lives in one of the nicest/most expensive houses in the neighborhood. 

    This is why "they" tell us to teach our kids about strangers - that it's someone you don't know.  Not someone scary or who lives in a shack or whatever.  People that commit crimes come in all different shapes and sizes.   

  • imageMandyMilller:

    This is one nice thing about our new hood. Despite the whack job next door, we won't have any registered offenders moving in b/c we're a stone throw from an elementary school :)

     If I'm reading this correctly, only "violent offenders" are restricted in where they can live.  So, non-violent child sexual predators can live by schools. 

    Pennsylvania?s Megan?s Law does not restrict where a sexual offender or Sexually Violent Predator/Sexual Violent Delinquent Child may reside. However, an offender may be restricted from residing near a school, park, daycare center, etc. under one of the following circumstances:

    • The sexual offender or Sexually Violent Predator/Sexual Violent Delinquent Child is under the supervision of a federal, state, or county department of probation or parole and there are specific restrictions designating where the sexual offender or sexually violent predators may reside.
    • The sexual offender or Sexually Violent Predator/Sexual Violent Delinquent Child is under specific court ordered restrictions designating where the offender may reside or who the offender may have contact with.
     
  • Clearly I don't possess the same depth of understanding of sex offender laws as you guys! You're all like working for To Catch a Predator or something ;)
  • imageMandyMilller:
    Clearly I don't possess the same depth of understanding of sex offender laws as you guys! You're all like working for To Catch a Predator or something ;)

    After learning about who's living in my neighborhood I went into mommy panic mode and started researching things.  Because we live pretty close to a school and was thinking the same thing you were. 

     
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