Release of a predatory sex offender into their neighborhood has some Klamath Falls residents up in arms…
Debi Winchell is a mother of five, and she was shocked to learn that predatory sex offender Johnny Ray Thomas is now her neighbor…
“When I saw it, I literally was covered in goosebumps – because it’s a scary thought to think that this could happen to my own child, and I don’t want it to happen to anybody’s child.”
Joann Ring was one of about 50 people who attended a community meeting Thursday night to express their concerns about Thomas…
“Well, his address is three houses down from mine. I have a six year old granddaughter who’s at my house almost every day.”
A GPS ankle bracelet monitors all of Thomas’ movements…and corrections officials stress they’re doing all they can to track him.
“I wouldn’t want to be on the short leash that he is.” Noted Klamath Falls Police Chief Jim Hunter. “He really has no privacy.”
State law says that all felons must be released to their county of conviction upon release from prison.
Notifications were handed out door to door on Wednesday.
Debi Winchell says she’s thankful for the notification…
“I was extremely excited to see that our law enforcement and probation department got the information out to us.”
But, that doesn’t make Joann Ring feel any safer…
“I think that he should just be sent somewhere totally away from anybody.”
Klamath Falls Police say they’ll be doing extra patrols in the neighborhood…and residents say they’re now interested in forming a ‘neighborhood watch’ group.
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