River Trails Homeowners Association

Was it ever confirmed that there is an unregistered sex offender on Mystic Trail.

The information was provided to the Neighborhood Patrol Officer.  I drove him to the residence in question where I was told a potential sex offender lived.  And, I called the Police SCRAM unit to make a report.  Neither were able to confirm.

The sad thing that I learned at the Citizens Police Academy (12 weeks of very insightful training by the way) is that it is the departing agency (police dept.) that is responsible for contacting the police department and letting them know that their sex offender has moved to their jurisdiction and give their new address. The new dept. then follows up with the offender and ensures the offender obeys his rules and restricitions. So, if he/she lived in Birmingham, Alabama and moved to Fort Worth, Texas, Birmingham PD is suppose to contact Fort Worth PD and let them know and give them the information on the offender.  But, SCRAM Officer Mike Benson said that it does not always happen and it's very frustrating.

If the person is not on the lease or deed, does not have a drivers license registered to that address and does not have utilities in their name at the residence, then it really can't be completely confirmed.  They check out the known residents. They can't just barge in because someone said or thinks a sex offender lives there. PD mentioned that we have to be careful when receiving this type of information from other residents.  They often get false reports from disgruntled neighbors.

However, I don't discount what a resident has told me but, we can't incriminate without the facts either.

As a precaution, I have had my group pay special attention to the residence for the past two years at halloween. 

I have a copy of the Texas Department of Public Safety Public Inquiry Report on the old man on Brushy Creek.  It is public access paperwork.  His victim was 11 years old.  He was charged with aggravated sexual assault and was given 10 Years PROBATION for sexually assaulting a little 11 year old girl!!!  PROBATION!!!  Date convicted was 1999 so in 2009 he will be off his probation.   I used to have the police report but gosh that was 1999 that I had all of that and now I can't find it.  The little girl confided in her DARE officer at her school.  Thank goodness for the DARE program.

The victim was his granddaughter, my children went to school with her and my understanding at the time the "sentence" was issued was that he had no priors and it was a family member and not a stranger.  I have a friend that has lived next door to him and he rarely comes out which is good, I have been in the community and have had friends in the community since the sub-division was built and no-one has had a problem with him (that we know of)  he DOES NOT sit outside in a lawn chair and glare at people, it's bad enough without embellishing.  I think we need to develop a safe place program of some sort with designated homes throughout ALL River trails communities so that the children a safe place to go when they feel threatened.  I know it's worked in several other communities and with more and more people moving in and out of the area, sometimes law enforcement doesn't have time to keep up.  I have a friend whose a Sergeant in the FWPDand he said part of the problem is when someone on parole or probation moves they have a length of time before he/she is actually required to report in and then a length of time passes before it gets into the system and by that time the person has already moved again. My daughters are now grown, but I see so many children out walking and playing in the community without supervision and it's sad but it's just not safe.