May 20, 2008 11:48 pm US/Pacific
David Goldstein Checks In On Jessica's Law
GARDENA, Calif. (CBS) ―
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Registered sex offenders are being housed at this motel, too near children.
CBS
California has one of the toughest sex offender laws in the nation -- known as Jessica's Law.
But we found state parole agents violating the law by putting offenders too close to children.
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At the Dynasty Inn in Gardena--
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"Do you have your GPS on?"
We found the state housing sex offenders. Many like this one are here legally -- but we've uncovered evidence that as many as nine sex offenders were here against the law -- put here by the state.
Too close to this park and these children.
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"It's terrible they would put these known sex offenders here--don't know if they're spying on our kids or peeking out the window --what they're thinking."
We're talking about sex offenders like this man--a convicted rapist. Or this one--convicted of annoying or molesting children.
"But it's not his fault or any of the sex offenders. All are here on taxpayer money. Put here by state parole agents. But we've obtained this internal email showing parole agents should have known the dynasty inn was off limits.
According to Jessica's Law -- parole agents are supposed to do a GPS check to make sure there are no parks within 2000 feet of sex offenders paroled after november 6, 2006. That's when the law went into effect. That's just what parole agent Paul Price did according to this email obtained exclusively by CBS 2 News.
On February 28th he sent it to parole supervisors stating, "this agent found a park...which was 1455 feet from the Dynasty Inn." "Children were there playing" therefore he came to legal conclusion "It appears that the Dynasty Inn is not in compliance with Prop 83" which is Jessica's Law. But that didn't stop other agents from dumping their sex offenders there. Violating the law!
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"Obviously it's outrageous"
State assemblyman Todd Spitzer says it shouldn't have happened.
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"Everybody should know. There should be a map in that region that says that's not an appropriate location'
After we presented the email to parole supervisors in Sacramento.
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"They're checking out right now? They're checking out? Really"
The hotel clerk said the sex offenders were checking out of the dynasty. The state admitted it was a mistake to put them there. Some for months.
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"I don't understand that. There's a park here and across the street. And in about a half hour all the kids were coming out of school."
State parole officials say agents never received the email warning them about the Dynasty Inn.
But the law says the agents are supposed to measure the distance from parks and schools. And in this case it seems they failed to do it.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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