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Sex offender to live in Newport City not designated as high risk |
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Wednesday, 09 January 2008 |
By CHRISTOPHER ROY
Express Staff Writer
A sex offender lodged at the Northern State Correctional Facility who will max out his sentence on Jan. 20 and is expected to live in Newport is not designated as high risk.
That was the word from Carl Davis, the district manager for the Department of Probation and Parole Tuesday morning.
"He is not of serious concern,” stressed Davis of the offender, Michael
Jones, who was convicted of sexual assault. “He is maxing out his
sentence and will no longer be in the care and custody of the
commissioner of corrections as of January 20.”
Jones is expected to move in with his wife on Sias Avenue after he is
released. Davis has already met with law enforcement agencies and with
principals from the Newport City School and North Country Union High
School.
“The level of notification was primarily targeted towards law
enforcement,” explained Davis. “But, it is also best practice to meet
with the selectboard and give them a heads up that’s he returning to
the community.”
Davis said he realizes there is some public concern and as a result of
Monday night’s Newport City Council Meeting, he said he received a
phone call about the situation Tuesday morning.
At that meeting Newport resident Paul Decelles, who lives 200 yards
from where Jones will live, told the council that he is surprised that
the Department of Corrections did not notify him.
“I’m alarmed, with children in the neighborhood and in the school, that
the Department of Corrections has not seen fit notify me.”
Decelles lives less than five houses away from Jones’ home.
Decelles also commended Councilor Paul Monette for insisting that the
matter, which initially came up during a council meeting in November,
not be in executive session. Monette, who is employed by the elementary
school, said the Department of Corrections was not going to notify the
school until he asked them to.
“We have to respect Mike’s rights as well,” said Davis Tuesday,
referring to Newport residents who have concerns. “He is serving his
sentence out. I can share matters of public record with concerned
citizens, but he is not designated a high risk.”
Things that would designate someone as high risk include failure to
complete programing or refusal to commit to programing, as well as the
seriousness of the crime committed.
“Mike has not reached that designation,” stressed Davis, who added it’s
difficult to answer whether the public was properly notified. “I went
to the selectboard, we went to the schools, and law enforcement. I am
willing to meet with residents as needed.”
He also said as the risk increases, the level of notification also increases.
Davis said that since Jones was prosecuted in Orleans District Court,
the offense probably was committed in Orleans County. However, he did
not have Jones’ file in front him.
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Last Updated ( Monday, 14 January 2008 )
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