SAN DIEGO — Frustration and worry have grown in Lakeside over a home that is housing a group of registered sex offenders in a family neighborhood.
Neighbors say they checked the California Megan's Law website, and were surprised to learn five sex offenders were living in the home.
Some reached out to CBS 8 for answers as to why they weren't notified.
CBS 8’s Abbie Alford is Working For You to find out if this legal and who is getting involved to stop it.
“I'm so angry about this, it's not fair,” said Jeanette.
Lakeside neighbors are fuming after learning five registered sex offenders are living under this roof on Sesi Lane in Lakeside.
“Children, grandchildren, women, we are all active and we are afraid,” said Jeannette.
She shared her frustration with her neighbor Erica who is a mother of young children.
“I have family. We feel like our kids can't go outside,” said Erica.
Neighbors say they didn't learn about this until they recently went to the California Megan’s Law website and found five registered sex offenders living in the home.
What we found
CBS 8 found convictions ranging from indecent exposure, rape to sex offenses with a child under the age of 14.
Megan's law federally requires law enforcement to post information about registered sex offenders.
“What, we have to check Megan’s Law all the time? That's wrong too,” said Jeannette.
Neighbors said after seeing different people go in and out of the house they checked Megan’s law and found the listed sex offenders.
On Sunday, Lakeside neighbors held a rally to protest the home.
“How can that happen and how can no one be noticed and how can that be legal?,” asked Jeannette.
CBS 8 called an individual connected to the property, but their voicemail wasn’t set up. We also sent a text to the number but no response and knocked on the door. A man who answered said, "no comment" and shut the door.
“How was this approved, who knew about it? No one in the neighborhood because I would like to give them a piece of my mind,” said Jeannette.
We went to The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation who says the re-entry home opened in July 2022 and falls under the state's Specialized Treatment for Optimized Programming and says up to six people can live in a home which is aimed to reduce recidivism.
“Our first priority is public safety. Providing reentry services is an imperative piece to achieving reduced recidivism and ensuring that those being released from prison have resources available in their communities,” wrote Dana Simas, CDCR Press Secretary.
She also clarified the sex offender registry laws and restrictions on their living arrangements.
“Per Penal Code section 3003.5(a), a person released on parole who is required to register pursuant to Section 290 may not reside in a single-family dwelling with any other person also required to register, unless they are related,” wrote Simas. “A residential treatment facility which serves six or fewer persons is not considered a "single family dwelling" and is authorized to house and treat up to six registrants.”
CBS 8 spoke with Senator Brian Jones who is working to find out how this happened and if the laws were followed.
“My staff is working on it, as we speak, to figure out how this happened, why it happened, if they did follow the law, what I can do as the representative of that neighborhood,” said Jones. “The bottom line is, is we need to change the laws that allow this to happen in the first place.”
Neighbors couldn't agree more.
“We are not going to stop. We're not, the whole community will not stop,” said Erica.
CBS 8 also spoke with a representative of San Diego County Supervisor Joel Anderson's office who says in some cases they can get these homes shutdown if there is a code violation. He will be checking if there are any violations at this home.
In April, a judge ruled there were ten registered sex offenders illegally placed in a home in El Cajon. Anderson’s office says it also found code violations in that home.
We checked with the neighbors and all of the sex offenders moved out and the home was sold to a family. CBS 8 will keep you updated on any developments with this story.
CBS 8 is Working For You. If there is an issue you’d like the team to look into, email WorkingForYou@cbs8.com or click here.