KTRV Fox 12 Nampa Man Pushing for Tougher Sex Offender Laws
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Nampa, Idaho - Unlike some other states, in Idaho, neighbors aren't notified when a sex offender moves in. Imagine finding out your new neighbor is a sex offender. This is what happened to Jeremy Breeding.
It all started when Breeding noticed that someone had broke into his house. He had his suspicions and used the Internet to find out more about his neighbors. He did, and was shocked to learn the groundskeeper, who is also his next door neighbor, was a sexual predator.
"He's just like every average person, nice. You had no indication and that's the scary part about it is you don't know who it is," said Breeding.
The groundskeeper was convicted of sexual abuse of a child under 16 years of age in Twin Falls County 10 years ago. Now he lives next door to two young girls and a daycare that usually has 10 kids per day. As long as the registered sex offender isn't there when kids are present, living three doors down is legal.
"There's an Idaho statute that prevents them from working in daycare centers or family care centers, basically any place that the children would have to be present as an employment location," said Lt. Marvin Dashiell, with the Canyon County Sheriff's Department.
Breeding contacted everyone he could think of to find out what can be done, and as long as his neighbor follows the law he can continue living and taking care of the grounds in their complex.
"He has to make another victim, he has to break the law, he has to ruin a child's life," said Breeding.
Until then, there's nothing that Breeding can do but move.
"As it stands right now, I am a prisoner in my own house," said Breeding. "My children can't play outside when they don't want to anymore."
Now Breeding has an appointment set up with a local legislator and is hoping to make enough noise to make a difference in the current sex offender laws. Until those changes are made he has a warning to all parents.
"Question who your kids are playing with, what homes they are going to, be more proactive. The damage it does to a child you never get it back," said Breeding.
Fox 12 did speak with the property owner and he said he was well aware of the sex offender's background, but did not feel it would be a problem. He also said the groundskeeper does not have keys to the units.
