Woman makes Megan's Law complaint

By Rob Scott
The Daily Item

July 15, 2008 06:27 am

— SUNBURY -- Some residents are concerned after a registered sex offender attended Sunbury Celebration festivities at the Oppenheimer Pleasure Grounds on Thursday night.
Pat Buchanan, of Line Street, told the City Council on Monday night that one of her neighbors called the police after they saw a woman listed on the state Megan's Law Web site at the playground.
But when police arrived, they said they couldn't arrest the woman, Buchanan said, because it was "her civil right to be there."
Buchanan presented the council with a copy of a 2005 Senate bill that prohibits registered sex offenders from going near areas where children congregate.
Police Chief Steve Mazzeo said what Buchanan had was a bill, not a law, and he was not sure whether it had ever been passed.
He also said restrictions for sex offenders are determined on a case-by-case basis, depending on whether they're on probation or what the judge's orders were.
"If there is a violation of the law, we will make an arrest," he said.
Solicitor Michael Apfelbaum said it would be hard to imagine too many legislators opposing such a bill, stating, "When we look into it, I think we'll find it is a crime."
He also said the city passed its own ordinance a few years ago, prohibiting registered sex offenders from living or loitering near areas where a lot of children gather, such as schools and playgrounds.
Mazzeo said he would give the name of the woman Buchanan and her neighbors saw to a police detective today to see if a violation occurred.
"Part of the problem is, the officers on (Thursday night) were part-time officers. They're not aware of all the city ordinances," said Mazzeo. "I didn't know the city had an ordinance."
There are 22 people with Sunbury addresses listed on the state Megan's Law Web site.
n E-mail comments to rscott@dailyitem.com.