OT: Registered sex offenders having yard sales!

According to the IL sex offender registry, there are 2 registered sex offenders living in my town.  One is right on main street, about 4 blocks from my house.  This person has consistently held yard sales this summer, and each time I see one it infuriates me.  I mean, parents bring their KIDS into this man's front yard, likely unknowing that he is a sexual predator. 

So this morning, he is having one again.  I have my 2 year old in the car with me and as I'm driving by the house, I see a mother with her son in his yard, the son is probably about 10 years old.  I've had it, I stoppped by the police department and went in.  I asked the officer at the front desk if it is legal for a registered sex offender to have a yard sale at his home and she says......YES.  Can you believe it!??  I feel certain that she knew exactly who I was talking about, so then I just told her.  That I know the man living at 808 Main street is a registered sex offender and that I think it's insane that he is allowed to hold yard sales at his home.  I told her that I drove by and there were children in his yard, and she says "well, they were with their parents, right?"  Oh yeah, but SO WHAT!? Anyway, I'm just flabbergasted that this is allowed.  I was really thinking that it was illegal and it would be put to an end, but I guess not.

First of all, that would really creep me out too!  There is a registered sex offender that just moved down the block from my parents... fortunately I know the story behind the offense, and I am unlikely to be in danger, as is my daughter.  It wasn't violent, and it wasn't involving a child or a stranger.  I would feel uncomfortable with him having a garage sale too though.  You didn't mention if you knew the story behind his case.  Could it be that children are not at risk?  Many sex offenders are not pedophiles, and so it isn't likely that they will assault a child. The man who raped me while I was unconscious works as a nurse, taking care of patients who are unconscious all the time.  How scary is that?  He didn't have to register because he plea bargained and that part was dropped.  Sad, sad world.

The crazy thing is that you could get pulled over in your car and get more done to you then he would get done to him.  It is sick the world we live in and although I agree with you to a huge degree, he is FREE to do what he wants to do.  Now if he were selling children's items or children's clothing 18 and under items to attract kids or youth I think that would be illegal.  However, unfortuantly he does have rights just like the rest of us.  It is a good thing you are one of us moms that looks at those webpages to see where those preditors live.  So many people don't ever check, and you never know it could be someone in your neighborhood, or worse, next door.  The only thing you can do is pass the word about the website to locate local preditors...maybe that will help.  It is ashame sometimes we ourselves have to get involoved to educate everyone else, but for the sake of KIDS ~ IT IS WORTH IT!!!  BEST 2 U DANETTA 

According to the registry, this man's victim was 13 years old.   I don't need to know anything other than that. 

It is unfortunate, but, he/she still does have some rights.  I'm not taking sides with the bad guys, but I do feel that some of them shouldn't be termed "sex offenders." Of course the child molesters should be branded that permanently, but I'm talking about the others, that are not a threat to children. I know someone that has to register as a SO for the next 15 years, and I think it is unfair.  He was 18, his girlfriend was 17.  He had to spend 3 years in prison for it.  And I think THAT is unfair. As for a grown man molesting a child...  just plain sick.  There are ways people can be informed though.  Neighborhood meetings, newsletters... Me?  I'd plaster the neighborhood with signs...

Next time he has the yard sale put up signs under the ones that he probably posts announcing the yard sale that he is a sex offender using his pictue printed out from the Megan's law site.  I hate to say this but don't do it in the day light as there is probably something illegal about it. Jeanne

While I am glad that there are lists of registered sex offenders, I am saddened that there are not any difference between someone who hurts a child, and someone who urinates in public.  Technically coaches who pat their players on the rear can be labeled as sex offenders if someone charges them.  So please be very careful in putting up notices that someone is a sex offender.  You are doing the right thing though in keeping your child safe.

Due to my job I have to have some interaction with people looking for info on Sex offenders. My first suggestion is to contact your local police department to find out who and where they are. These web sites are not accurate. I know who they are in my town and when I go on these web sites they are not listing correct info like address or number of Sex offenders.We have many more than the web site lists. SCARY!! Also Yes it is against the law to use the info you obtain from the police dept against that person. Unfortunately I have 2 young girls and I hate to hear these stories too but as I have been told "They served their time and now they have rights." I do not agree that real pedofiles can be rehabilitated and that is the most frightening thing. On the other hand not all sex offenders are looking at children. Some are a young man with a younger girlfriend in love but the parents don't agree. Some are much worse. My advise is to keep your eyes open- Watch your children. There are many more people out there that have not been prosecuted but have these sick interests and you never know who is safe or not. Jennifer

In our town it is not legal for anyone to have more than 2 yard sales per year as that is considered a business that should be paying taxes. How many yard sales are people in your town allowed to have?

Before you condemn someone on a registry you read on the internet, try to remember not all people on the sex offenders list are actual sex offenders. Yes, most are, but there are a few who have fallen through the cracks. Just like you are innocent before being proven guilty - they are too. There are some men (and women) solely on that list because of vindictive spouses accusing them of horriffic crimes against their children in custody, adoption or divorce battles. Many of these people have never sexually molested anyone, yet they are on the list because of the way the law reads or the way their particular case was handled. Not everyone on the offender registry is a repeating sex offender. I know first hand as it happened to a family member of mine. Once accused always guilty is what most people believe. The law works most of the time in our favor -sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes people aren't guilty of the crimes they're accused of and sometimes they've paid their debt. Perhaps this man has gone through treatment? maybe he's on medication or under a doctor's care? Maybe he's grown, matured and is trying (like the recovering drug or alcohol addict) to stay clean and not give in to his addiction?? Perhaps we just don't quite know enough to convict him again - solely on a list published on the internet. Maybe we need to be less judgemental before insinuating someone is guilty and should be punshed forever.  When I've walked a mile in this mans shoes then I feel I can judge him. Not knowing his cir****tances, I don't feel it's right for any of us to do that.