OH- Mother urges stricter guidelines on sex offenders

Here we have a mother living up to the hysteria that lawmakers have embedded into her mind, nonsensical reaction to a state perceived risk to the community. It would be far better if she got to know the offender, then made her own decision without the influence of fear mongering lawmakers.

4-15-2009 Ohio:

FAIRFIELD — Kristi Benton won’t let her 11-year-old son walk behind her home on Woodtrail Drive to visit his dad, stepmom and half brothers by himself.

She’s fearful of a convicted Tier III sex offender living near her condo, which is a few hundred feet from the Fairfield Aquatics Center.

She told Fairfield City Council at its regular meeting on Monday night, April 13, she was notified a few weeks ago that Tier III sex offender Stuart Hensel moved into her neighborhood.

“While I’m outraged he’s living my neighborhood, my major concern is while we were notified ... the rest of the parents that send their kids to that aquatics center were not,” Benton said.

She asked council to support Ohio House Bill 11, which would expand Sexual Offender Registration and Notification law restrictions.

“Everyone that knows Woodtrail knows it is filled with children,” Benton said. “During the summer, that place is just crawling with children. Their parents drop them off at the Aquatics Center and they’re just running around.”

The proposed law would prohibit convicted sex offenders from living within 1,000 of where children frequent or linger — like a recreation center, playground or pool. Only accredited day cares and schools are protected under the current law.

“Evidence has shown sex offenders are repeat offenders,” Benton said to council.

Hensel was convicted of felonious sexual assault involving a 12-year-old boy in January 1995 in New Hampshire.

Council will publicly support Benton with a letter to the Ohio House of Representatives, officials said.

Benton said she plans to circulate a letter to show Fairfield residents support House Bill 11. To contact Benton, e-mail her at kbenton28@gmail.com. ..News Source.. by Michael D. Pitman, Staff Writer