Many of you may recall the many post this summer regarding the “clustered” sex offenders. With each post, many comments were left, many saying “they are harmless, they have served their time, etc.” On the other side, many neighbors called for tougher regulations and inspections. Not even 6 months after our discussing the address on
North Nebraska, we have our first arrest. In today’s Tampa Tribune, there was a story that caught my eye. While we are lucky that it was only a peeping offense. We ask ourselves, what would happen if TPD would not have shown up? For a system known for lack of research and prior offenses failing to show up in timely manners, we were fortunate that this officer did their due diligence. Their speed and investigative work helped put this offender back behind bars.
In my opinion, we as a neighborhood affected by our fair share of sex offenders may want to consider working with law enforcement departments, judicial authorities and prosecutors to fight for tougher laws and penalties. For those homeowners that prey on the previously convicted, sex offenders, etc, they should be held accountable for their tenants. Evidently, we can’t regulate who lives there, we can fight to force each home be staffed with qualified personnel to oversee the tenants. According to the city of Tampa, these homes can not be classified as boarding homes. However, to the neighbors, we see a much different story. Ask yourself this questions; What if it was your window, your wife’s, your mother, your loved one, etc? At what point does the innocent neighbor have their rights protected versus the convicted sex offender? What do you think would have happened had TPD not arrived? Who would be responsible?
From the Tampa Tribune:
Tampa - A man hiding beneath a woman’s motel room window early this morning turned out to be a registered sex offender on probation until 2015, police said.
Edward R. Haycraft is being held without bail at the Orient Road Jail today. He is charged with two misdemeanor offenses – loitering and prowling, and giving a false name to a law-enforcement officer – as well as violating his felony probation from Palm Beach County on burglary and rape charges.
Tampa police officers found Haycraft, 51, hiding behind a small tree beneath an open window at the Swan Motel, 6407 N. Nebraska Ave., about 4:08 this morning, an affidavit states. The officers noted in the document that a woman in the room was naked at the time.
Confronted, Haycraft ”could not reasonably explain his reason for being in this location,” the affidavit states. He also gave the officers a different name.
A computer check with a photograph identified the man as Haycraft, the affidavit states. Haycraft is a registered sex offender on probation until 2015, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Florida Department of Corrections.
As a condition of his probation, Haycraft is under a curfew between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., the affidavit states.
Since November, his address with FDLE has been an apartment at 6601 N. Nebraska Ave., about two blocks from the motel, records show.
