Level 3 Sex Offender Lives Less Than a Mile From Framingham Elementary School, Day Care

This month, Framingham Police went door-to-door in the Potter Road area letting residents know a Level 3 sex offender is now living in their neighborhood.

Massachusetts classifies sex offenders on a scale of 1 to 3, with Level 1 offenders being the least dangerous.

A sex offender who is labeled Level 3 has the highest risk of re-offense and the degree of dangerousness posed to the public is such that a substantial public safety interest is served by active dissemination of information about the individual, according to the State's Sex Offender Registry Board.

Recently, a male Level 3 sex offender moved to Potter Road and now lives less than a mile from Potter Road Elementary School and about a quarter mile from a private, licensed day care provider.

The Level 3 sex offender did register with the Commonwealth and with the Framingham Police, as required by law.

The Framingham Police, as part of its community notification program, notified residents of the individual's new residency, said Framingham Police Lt. Harry Wareham.

Framingham Police notifies the public when an Level 3 sex offender moves into a neighborhood and does annual notifications, if the individual continues to live in that neighborhood, explained Lt. Wareham.

In Framingham, there is no bylaw prohibiting a Level 3 sex offender from living near a school, day care or playground.

In May 2011, Framingham Town Meeting passed a sex offender bylaw prohibiting Level 2 and Level 3 sex offenders from "loitering" near schools, day cares, playground, bus stops and other safety zones, explained Lt. Wareham.

That bylaw prohibts sex offenders from being in those areas for more than 10 minutes, said Lt. Wareham.

"The exception to the town bylaw, is if the individual lives in the area," said Lt. Wareham.

Framingham Patch was contacted by a handful of Potter Road residents this week concerned about the Level 3 sex offender living near a school and a day care.

More than two dozen states have laws that prohibit sex offenders from living in close proximity to schools, parks, etc. Massachusetts is not one of them.

Neighboring Southborough in 2008, enacted a local bylaw that prohibits Level 2 and 3 sex offenders from living within 1,000 feet of areas where children or the disabled may congregate. 

Marlborough, Milford, Natick and Ashland all have some type of bylaw prohibiting where sex offenders may live or have established no-loitering zones near schools, parks, day-cares, elderly housing and other places.

Residents can view the town's photos and information on Level 2 and Level 3  sex offenders in Framingham by clicking here.

The Framingham web site states there were 16 Level 3 and 65 Level 2 sex offenders in Framingham as of July 2013.