SHIRLEY –
A Shirley couple says five sex offenders are living together in their community nearly 80 feet from their home.
Jennifer and Thomas Gritz, who have lived in their home for the past 14 years, say they no longer allow their 10-year-old son to play outside.
“I want my son to go outside and be a kid – play in the backyard, ride his bike up and down the street. He doesn’t even do that unless one of us is with him,” says Jennifer Gritz.
Laura Ahearn, from Parents for Megan’s Law, says the problem exists because the state Court of Appeals in 2015 shot down all laws restricting where sex offenders could live.
Since then, she and others have been advocating to give individual counties the power to make those decisions.
“It’s the Assembly [Democrats] that will not allow suburban counties to have the power to be able to restrict where a sex offender can or cannot reside,” said Ahern. “Now, there could be 25 in one dwelling. It’s an outrage.”
What entertainment ! I’ll bet most of the people see through this ploy of Ahearn making more money through her PFML Gov contracts, and the Republicans using political football to take control of the Democrat-controlled House. But that ain’t likely…
“It’s the Assembly [Democrats] that will not allow suburban counties to have the power to be able to restrict where a sex offender can or cannot reside,” said Ahern. “Now, there could be 25 in one dwelling. It’s an outrage.”
Really? If the registry was abolished, these people would be able to work and have a place of their own to live in and not be huddled in one place……….as if these citizens on the registry really want to live in squalor and shame for the rest of their lives : (
These parents should investigated for abusing their son, for not letting outside. Generally when parents do not let kids outside are child abusers. 5 RC’s living the same house is about the best checks and balance one can get for re-offense prevention.
Laura Ahearn, from Parents for Megan’s Law, says the problem exists because the state Court of Appeals in 2015 shot down all laws restricting where sex offenders could live.
It seems like YOU Laura Ahearn, IS the problem not the court.
This is why (if there has to be a registry) it should only be available to law enforcement. What if these registrants are living with a family or friend who isn’t on the registry. Or perhaps a family or friend stops to visit one of these registrants. Now if any of the above comes to light then those people (if any) I have just listed will become a target of hate, solely by the ignorance of this reporter and couple.
The best part is the “overturned law” didn’t limit the # of people who lived together, just how far from schools they could live once they finished parole or probation. If they are still on parole or probation there is still a limit. Also for you all you know this house is beyond that limit. The day Laura Ahern meets her maker cannot come soon enough
The neighborhood of Shirley has a very, very high violent crime rate. Knife stabbing, heavy drug sales & use, DWI’s with children involved, very dangerous armed robberies. children with extremely disfunctional parent. It’s a friggin nightmare. But Ahearn can’t make money off of that. Maybe she doesn’t have the time. While the safety of their children is paramount, and they should take precautions, the neighbors in this story are extremely misguided. They’ll be sorry when they end up on the wrong side of a criminal and I would bet it won’t be by a guy previously convicted of a sex crime.
It’s so ironic how people live in fear of people previously convicted of a sex offense as 95+% of new sex crimes are NOT committed by people convicted of a sex offense.
This family (and many others) is in fear only because they’ve become brainwashed by gov’t and media with their lies and unwillingness to open their eyes to the truth. Gorilla on the basketball court syndrome.
Whenever I see Laura Ahearn from Parents for Megan’s Law protesting I always think the ‘Lady doth protest too much’ although she is not a lady why is she always protesting? Does she have a guilty conscience? Is she trying to hide something? Does she have children or perhaps a Girlfriend? Is she a victim and has not sought treatment? She’s a Republican platforming an agenda that is attractive in Suffolk County (more blue collar and right wing than you’d think) and earns her CRIME VICTIMS CENTER cash. She publishes the names of donors so those not on the list get scorned at the A&P and the Rotary Club.
She undermines the legal law and authority concerns, hires off-duty police and offers employment to retired police officers.
Where else does this happen in the US?
Parents for megan’s law is a fascist organization and should be considered a hate group.
While I dispise her retoric and public shaming of S.O.s for abvious personal gain. Slansering her puts us all on the same level. I choose to contact these individuals whenever possible and point out other opinions. I can only hope that if enough people do this, there might be an “awakening” of sorts. The people that follow them blindly aren’t worth the time it takes to expain how blind they actually are. Narrow your focus to the cause of the public’s viewpoint.
Ahearn thinks that we don’t reoffend because she exists? Bwahahahahaha. I think this lady may be mentally ill and possibly corrupt in bed with the local government.
Jennifer and Thomas Gritz spend their evenings fear and hate mongering scouring the internet to feed hysterical fears about assumptions over people they know nothing about. Do they realize they are just pawns of the media and scurrilous politicians who want people to react exactly as the Gritz family is doing?
Be glad we don’t live there and are not in the immediate sphere of this woman’s influence.
Don’t want 5 sex offenders living near you? Simple: Abolish the registry. There will immediately be zero sex offenders living near you.
When people go to AA meeting what do they talk about?
drinking of course.
Do they talk about how to make a whiskey still?
No
Do they talk about how to get around the breath test?
No
Then what do they talk about ?
How to avoid drinking!!!
Why do people think RC will talk about how to kidnap a kid?
Follow up:
I got a response from an email I sent to Ahearn. There was no profanity or accusations in my email, just concerns stated about the direction she takes towards registrants in general.
I was told that,” This is a private practice and to refrain from contacting”.
“. . the courts in the Jones cases have declared her a government actor and therefore shes probably subject to foia…“ Private she says? LOL. But she knows how to corrupt .err, play the system, so she won’t be required to comply with foia.
Just like Auntie Mame I’m planning on buying three houses next to Laura Ahearn and calling them
‘The Epstein Home for Sex Offenders’ or perhaps the ‘Laura Ahearn Home for Sex Offenders’.
I just might start buying up houses in desirable areas in Suffolk and Nassau Counties to house the homeless and call them the ‘Laura Ahearn and Dean Skelos Homes for Reformed Sex Offenders and Rebublican Politicians’.
Suggestions for names are welcome. I hope everyone will send a housewarming card to Dean Skelos when he gets sent down.
When did parenting become so fearful?
‘Small Animals: Parenthood in The Age of Fear’ is a new book that attempts to find an answer.
https://theoutline.com/post/5909/book-review-small-animals-parenting-age-of-fear?zd=1&zi=ezz22tik
Also, if the state’s Court of Appeals struck down state residency restrictions because they’re unconstitutional (and rightly so), they would strike down a county ordinance as well for the same reason. Duh.
Wonder if Elvis talks to her? And wouldn’t he be an RSO by today’s laws?
Compelling argument, even though the registry is still useless. LE harassment would continue, though to a lesser degree; no need to to make a token showing of diligence.
Come to think of it, does anyone know how many failure to register/update arrests were made from the days when the registry was LE only? Have a hunch back then, they probably just dragged him in, registered him, and kicked him out. Also willing to bet they weren’t too diligent on keeping it current because it really wasn’t all that useful for anything but the appearance of pro-activity.