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I live in Sacramento, CA and became aware of a situation much like yours. I was sent an email from the Sheriff's department that a registered sex offender had moved into my neighborhood. The emails are only sent to those that sign up for the notification.
This offender's crimes were so serious I don't understand how he could be allowed out at all, ever. He was in his 50's and was released after doing 18 years for kidnapping a child under 12 for the purpose of sexually assaulting the child and for using instruments for penetration. Sickening but true and to make matters worse I've never lived in an area where so many kids play unsupervised or supervised by a sibling not much older than themselves.
I started walking my dog more often to the dead-end street which he lived and where the kids all gathered to ride bikes and play. I'd only seen him a few times walking from his truck to his front door when school was in session and it got dark early but once there wasn't any school and it didn't get dark until almost 9:00 pm, there were kids out playing the entire day and soon every time I walked the dog, he was sitting on his front porch watching the kids play, not occasionally, but every single day.
I worried constantly and found myself feeling responsible for the kids safety when I'd only seen an adult twice during the few weeks I'd began walking my dog to the dead-end street. Then came the day I turned the corner to see him in his driveway with a little boy about 7, working on his bike and waiting with bike in hand was a little girl about 5. I walked to the end of the street and sat there until the two little kids got back on their bikes. I decided that I'd wait until the kids went home so I could see what houses they lived in so I could print up the picture and arrest information to take to their parents and tell them about the man helping them with their bikes.
I put the papers in my pocket because the sex offender was always on his porch and he was fully aware of my multiple daily dog walks and probably that they were to keep an eye on him. I was pretty uncomfortable doing this while he was sitting there watching me go knock on the doors of the two houses. I was able to walk around and inside the garage to show the first house but the 2nd house it wasn't so easy. I stepped to the other side of their car and showed them the papers and the dad just freaked out yelling and pointing at the guy sitting on the porch. I guess he had befriended the offender and helped him move some stuff into his house and he'd had his kids with him and they had invited him over for a barbecue and said he had given a lot of attention to the kids. The couple I was showing the papers to said hold on I've got to show my neighbor and he grabbed the papers and across the street he went. When he returned, they thanked me profusely a couple of other parents were now also in their driveway and read the papers. I then had to turn around and walk the only way possible to get home by his house. I was scared but told myself he's the one that need's to be scared. Once past his house I went left to walk the very long way around to get home because I didn't want him to see me walk to my street, a small court about 6 houses from his.
I stopped walking my dog afraid I'd be walking and he'd drive up on me. I drove by in my car twice a day and was relieved to see far fewer kids out, I thought, I guess it's worth the loss of my being comfortable working in my front yard and always being on the look out for him hanging around my house when I came home after dark. It was a relief to see an adult or two out in their front yards when the kids were playing and he wasn't a constant fixture on the front porch. It was as it should be, at least for awhile. Maybe a little over a month later it started to be more and more like before when I started walking the dog to the dead end street. Then one day I was on my way home and as I'm driving by I see the offender come out of the front door of the very house that the dad blew up. It is a duplex (rental) so maybe different people moved in since the day I was there.
Sorry this is so lengthy. Maybe I should have left out all of the above and just put this part:
Three single girls moved into a house on a corner lot. They had 7 - 8 little kids total that would always play on the long side yard where their mom's though sitting in the front yard or driveway, couldn't see them but the sex offender could. His house was directly across the street from the end of the side yard and he'd taken to sitting out on the porch a lot watching these new group of kids.
I had finally gotten over the constant feeling of needing to look over my shoulder for the offender and didn't relish the thought of him possibly seeing me again pulling out papers to present to new neighbors, then them turning his way or pointing his direction. I had printed up the info again and put it in my car's glove-box. I had almost decided it wasn't necessary then one evening, the sun had already gone down and outside on the side lawn were 3 or 4 of the littlest kids and there he sat in his lawn chair just watching them. I turned the corner parked where the offender couldn't see me and walked back to the 3 mom's with papers in hand. They almost fell over. Just the day before they said he was talking to one of their kids when they came outside. It was chaotic with so many kids and I wasn't hearing what each of the 3 mom's were saying mostly to each other. They all seemed very grateful and thanked me for stopping.
The next day and every day for a week, as I drove by they would smile and wave. One night returning home, I smile and wave and although I see the 3 girls in the crowd of people in their garage and spilling out into the driveway, no one waves but the kids and I hear a man's voice yell "*****". It didn't occur to me at the time anyone was referring to me after all, I was the lady that told them about the bad man across the street. Yeah, right.
A couple of days later as I'm unloading groceries from the car, I hear "*****" being yelled in the same voice and a lot of other things, including threats. Each time I returned to my car to grab more grocery bags, this guy standing in the middle of the street at the end of my court is becoming more and more agitated. When I went out for the last two bags, and he screams "*****" again, I look around and I'm the only person outside. I don't know why I yelled back are you talking to me? He yelled back that he was and before I knew it I'd dropped the two bags of groceries and was half way to him. When I reached where he was standing I then see he is with another guy, I said I don't know why your calling me *****, you must have me mistaken for someone else. I keep to myself and don't know what your problem could be with me. It's then he tells me that he is the father of one of those kids and that the sex offender is his uncle. It wasn't anything that ever crossed my mind as a possibility when I showed those papers to the parents. This was a young man in his mid 20's who had to be very young when his uncle was arrested for those horrific crimes and he absolutely did not believe his uncle did what he was convicted of 20 years ago. I won't go into all the details but it was constant fear, threats, him parking across the street with 4 other guys in the car all just glaring at me as I finished doing the yard work. It took everything I had not to just go in the house and lock up, I just didn't want them to know how scared I was. I told him before I didn't do what I did to destroy his uncle I truly was trying to look out for the kids whose parents weren't. If I ran scared maybe it wouldn't be believed that I was trying to protect the kids. It got worse before it got better and I had plenty of sleepless nights.
They all moved (sex offender, 3 mom's and the nephew) nearly a year ago and I'm still not 100% comfortable. About 6 months after they'd all moved I was back to walking my dog and nephew pulls up and just stares me down. I didn't call the cops during any of this due to the fact that nephew was gang affiliated and I figured if they arrested him I'd have possibly an even worse problem, having people after me that I don't even know what they look like.
If I witness kids not being supervised properly and I know there is a predator nearby in the future, I would still have to notify their parents somehow or I couldn't live with myself, should something happen to a small child.
Also, maybe check with your police department of the legality of how you notify them. I was told that I couldn't just print up the fliers and put them in every mailbox of houses with kids. That's what I wanted to do. I can't remember exactly what I was told by the Sheriff's office, but I know I didn't want to leave the papers with the parents I told. I showed them and took the papers with me when I left.
There are so many kids these days with parents who let them walk or play alone when they are far too young that others have to protect them. I thought surely God will protect me, when I felt hesitant or afraid for my own safety.
Again, sorry so lengthy. I'd say share the information but please be careful when doing so.
If there are concerns, it's probably best to check the state's website on sexual offenders to see what the state laws are and then contact law enforcement there to see what they do about notification. It's possible that your neighbors already know or have been notified. They may say they call or send out postcards to all families in the area. I live in FL and law enforcement is required to notify residents when a predator moves into the area. Parents have told me they've gotten calls. I don't have kids but I do believe I've gotten postcards in the past with the details (including a mugshot) on it.
There is no such thing as anonymous email
Using a mailbox for anything but mail delivery/pick up by USPS is a federal offense.
Personal experiences and concerns set aside - all OP knows is what some internet site sent to her. Remember the commercial? If there are residence restrictions local PD should be involved. As resident you check with PD about status of a suspected sex offender and requirements regarding residence based on his conviction. Have neighbors been notified and you just do not know about it?
I received a Parents For Megans Law notification that a high risk level Sex Offender moved into the house arounod the corner from a friend of mine. She had boys and a girl; all teens, an according to the report, they were the age the offender preyed upon.
First after reading the notification, I verified it with the local PD. Next, I warned my daughter in case she were there, and I informed my friend.
Was he listed as a predatory offender? If not, the danger is low, and probably nonexistent until the girls reach puberty.
well, that's real comforting.
The OP said he was listed as a 'convicted violent' sexual predator.
I think it's better to be safe than sorry. If anything happens to those girls the OP will never forgive herself. The sex offender list was created just for reasons like this.
Not only would I tell that neighbor but I would be putting fliers in everybody's mail box for blocks around. I would want the whole town to know. Sorry but when it comes to protecting kids someone like that deserves zero privacy or respect.
We had an ex priest living around the corner from us next to a house with young boys. The mother caught the priest hugging one of her kids. She did some research and found that he was kicked out of the church and his records were sealed. Red flag much?
We as support for our neighbor managed to drive him out of our area. He was constantly watched by all of us. He got the message and moved on because he was not going to get what he wanted in our neck of the woods. All people like that need to be watched.
Check the first page of your state police/trooper sex offender registry. It usually has something about how much you can do about notifying neighbors about them. I know of some that say you can't harass them (no description of 'harass') and nowadays they add you can print material and photos to show neighbors and put in mailboxes. It used to be people had to walk on eggshells around these creeps because you could be accused of harassing them. I guess most states finally got a clue.
I think that the plan to anonymously print out the form and mail it to the family is a good course of action, both to prevent an awkward conversation in front of others, i.e., children, or to make yourself known to the offender. The Code of Virginia prohibits residence within a prohibited distance from a school, park, day care, etc., but there is no prohibition with respect to living in a private residence next to a family with children.
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All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages.
~William Shakespeare (As You Like It Act II, Scene VII)
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