TX- Keeping trick-or-treaters safe from sex offenders on Halloween

11-1-2008 Texas:

HOUSTON—With less than 24 hours to go before Halloween, the stage is set.

Doorsteps are adorned with jack-o-lanterns, and many houses are decorated to the hilt.

But if you belong to a certain segment of society, deputies from Precincts 6 and 7 will be the ones doing the haunting.

They are patrolling the streets, making sure sex offenders are not doing anything to lure trick-or-treaters to their homes.

Officer Freddy Castillo is one of the deputies. He will patrol the streets of Precinct 6, looking at the homes of registered sex offenders to insure they are in compliance with the terms of their parole or probation and that the offenders understand the guidelines for Halloween.


“The guidelines are, they’re not to participate in the celebration, meaning they turn off their lights. They lock their gate. They don’t have decorations out. And most definitely if someone knocks on the door, they’re not to open the door,” Precinct 6 Constable Victor Trevino said.

While doing his patrols Thursday, Castillo found himself at the address listed by registered sex offender Jesse Loera, who, according to the state, sexually assaulted a 14-year-old girl more than a decade ago.

But there were two problems.

Loera had apparently just moved into a room behind the home where he was registered, which had a different address. That’s a violation.

The home that was listed as his residence was decorated.

“Since he’s showing here, he’s going to have to take those decorations down,” Castillo said.

-Note, if Loera moved to a room behind the home where he registered, then he has no control over whether that home decorates or not, so why is he being charged for that? This is the kind of nonsense played by law enforcement, hope he has a good lawyer.

Loera wasn’t sure he agreed with the Halloween requirements.

“If a person has done his time and comes out and doesn’t do other crimes, then that person should be able to get an opportunity to enjoy and celebrate like other people. I think we all make mistakes,” Loera said.

But Castillo’s job is to make sure Loera does what he’s supposed to do.

“If he wants to stay out of trouble or out of jail, he needs to comply with the rules,” Castillo said. ..News Source.. by Brad Woodard / 11 News