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	Level 3 Sex Offenders on the Job By Peter Reuell Milford Daily News [Massachusetts] January 13, 2007 http://www.milforddailynews.com/homepage/8999004828872998911 Though many concerned parents make a point of checking up on where sex offenders live, it's unlikely those parents spend much time contemplating where or how the ex-cons make a living. They may soon start, though. A Daily News review of Sex Offender Registry Board information found level 3 sex offenders - those deemed by the state most likely to re-offend - working in MetroWest nursing homes, hotels, restaurants, clothing stores, pharmacies and even churches. Records show offenders live and work in Milford, Marlborough, Waltham, and essentially everywhere in between, often in places that might raise red flags for residents. Take the case of Noel Rabitor, for example. The 33-year-old Uxbridge resident was convicted in 1989 of two counts of indecent assault and battery of a child under 14 and rape and abuse of a child. Three years later, he offended again, and was convicted of indecent assault and battery on a person over 14. These days, though, Rabitor is likely well-known to patients at the Geriatric Authority of Milford, a nursing home which offers nursing, rehabilitation and long-term care for up to 80 patients, where he works as a cook. When questioned about Rabitor, Geriatric Authority director Barry Chiler refused to answer questions before hanging up on a reporter. "I've gone through this about ten times," he said. "I don't really want to deal with this." Though communities including Marlborough have tried to pass ordinances restricting where sex offenders can live, there are no such restrictions on where offenders can work. In some cases, employees may not even know who they're working with. State officials and local police, however, say the reality is sex offenders work in a wide variety of jobs, and parents ought to be aware their children might find themselves in a dangerous situation nearly anywhere. "The fact of the matter is unless it's a case where a sex offender is sentenced to life, the sex offenders are ultimately going to be living in the community, and we need to be knowledgeable about that," said Charles McDonald, a spokesman for the Sex Offender Registry Board. Parents need to "be aware of how their child could be victimized in either a living, neighborhood situation or a work situation." The registry, however, emphasizes the need for offenders who are released from jail to re-enter society and begin laying down roots, McDonald said, and part of that process is finding a steady job. "They have to get on with their lives, and develop employment and family ties," he said. "That can cause them to deal more readily with whatever caused them to offend, including alcohol and drug issues." Such is the case for Richard Odell. While using and selling drugs in the late 1980s, Odell began selling to several teenagers, and eventually wound up having sex with teens. He was eventually convicted of several charges, including rape of a child with force, indecent assault and battery on a child under 14, drugging a person for sexual intercourse and three counts of indecent assault and battery on a person over 14. By the time he was released from prison, though, Odell had gotten clean, and with help from family members, he found a job at the First Presbyterian Church of Waltham. Odell today cleans the community day center located at the church, and has made a point of avoiding the sort of situations that led to his offenses years earlier, Pastor Jean Southard said. "I met him the day he came out," she said. "He was completely up-front with me about who he is and what he had done. "He has done everything humanly possible to turn his life around. So when he came out of jail...in my opinion it was time to give him an opportunity to live like a normal human being." Some police departments, however, warned that simply knowing where an offender works doesn't mean they know where they are at any given time. "They get lunch breaks," Waltham Police Det. Jim Auld said. "They get out of work at 2 in the afternoon. Do they go right home or do they hang around there? There's a million questions. "I have sex offenders that are transporting packages, and driving (all day.) This law is obviously a good tool, but it's not without its holes." Unfortunately, Auld said, too many parents feel their children are safe simply because the registry exists. "What I get afraid of is parents feel because there's a sex offender registry, now they have to be a little less vigilant than normal," he said. "But these guys do violate their conditions. Parents need to use their common sense. Share (the information) with your child in a way you feel is appropriate. Knowledge is powerful - if you know where there's a threat, you can usually keep yourself pretty safe." "The sex offender registry in general has to be looked upon as just a tool to help people keep themselves and their family safe," said Marlborough Police Detective Martha Shea. "In reality, you really don't know who's living next door to you, you don't know who's working someplace, and you need to be vigilant in the protection of your family." Peter Reuell can be reached at 508-626-4428, or at preuell@cnc.com
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