Are Sex Predators, Offenders In Your Neighborhood?
Officer: Halloween Presents Perfect Opportunity For Pedophiles, Sex Offenders
POSTED: Thursday, October 30, 2003
UPDATED: 4:45 am EST December 5,2003
A Local 6 News investigation found thousands of convicted sexual predators and offenders living in Central Florida who could be coming face to face with your children this Halloween.
The report found several homes of reported sexual offenders fully decorated with Halloween-related items.Orange County Sgt. Keith Hubbard said that Halloween presents the perfect opportunity for pedophiles and other sex offenders."Here's a bunch of kids going out to have a good time and if I'm a true pedophile, what better opportunity for me -- I've got a bunch of children coming to my door," Hubbard said. "I would never allow my child to go trick-or-treating alone."Hubbard and Central Florida's sexual offender task force spent time this week verifying that predators and offenders are registered to the right address so parents know which homes to avoid."Just the mere fact that the child comes to my door, for a child molester or a pedophile -- that's what it's all about," Hubbard said. "You'll see that true offenders live for these kind of holidays."Local 6 News featured a Halloween-decorated home of Michael Ruiz, a man convicted of lewd and lascivious acts on a child under 16 years old.Local 6 News reporter Kim Dean also found that a home covered in jack-o'-lanterns "inviting kids in costumes" to visit also belonged to a convicted sex offender. The home belongs to Randy Myers, who was convicted in 1997 for soliciting a child for sex. Local 6 News also reported that Myers was arrested a few weeks ago and accused of false imprisonment of a child.Dean approached Myers and asked, "Were you planning on passing out candy to trick-or-treaters?"Myers said, "Yeah."Myers also reportedly told Dean that he always participates in the Halloween tradition despite his sex offender status.When Myers was asked about his sex offender status, he refused to answer any more questions.Local 6 News reported that despite the contact he will make with your kids on Halloween, it is not illegal.Authorities said to be safe, parents should trick-or-treat with their children and keep a close eye on them at unfamiliar homes.Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.
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Stay Away From Their Homes This Halloween
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