Sex offenders near schools in Lorain told to move with short notice

LORAIN, Ohio - Lorain is giving 150 convicted sex offenders who live too close to schools and parks notices to move within days – or it will take action.

Close to 800 sex offenders call Lorain County home. The sheriff’s department said 320 of them live in the city of Lorain.

“That’s too much. Too much. They need to find a different place for them or do something with them,” said Dorothy Satonick, a mother from Lorain who lives across from a school.

More concerning, Lorain city officials used the county’s sex offender database and maps to determine that as many as 150 sex offenders are violating the law by living too close to schools, daycares or parks.

“If they are within that 1,500 foot range, they’re subject to civil eviction,” said Captain Richard Resendez with the Lorain County Sheriff’s Department.

The city is sending out notices to the offenders. They must move within seven days.

That’s not quick enough for Nima Grimm, a mother of five. She lives two doors down from a registered sex offender. The law department suspects he’s breaking the law by living near a park and school.

“I believe that all sex offenders should actually have their own little town where they’re not allow to be around (others),” said Grimm.

Most parents support Lorain’s aggressive stance, making sure sex offenders are following the letter of the law. But some question the one-week notice to get out.

“Seven days I don’t think would be enough time. They should do it like a regular apartment should do it, 30 days,“ said Alex Pedraza, a mother who also lives two doors down from a sex offender.

If the sex offenders who are violating the law don’t move, the city said it will take them to court and try to force them to move out. But that would not result in any criminal charges – that would be a civil eviction action.