Officials at a Fresno elementary school filed a police report after a City Council candidate who is a registered sex offender held a news conference across the street from the campus during weekday afternoon hours, raising questions about public safety and who is legally allowed to run for and serve in public office in California.
Rene Campos, 41, a candidate in Fresno’s District 7 City Council race, held the press conference Friday afternoon outside Saint John’s Cathedral in downtown Fresno, according to reporting by The Fresno Bee. The church sits directly across the street from Big Picture Educational Academy, a public charter school serving students in kindergarten through eighth grade.
School leaders said students were present on campus at the time and called Campos’ decision to hold the event near the school “deeply troubling.”
School leaders say students were on campus
In a joint statement reported by The Fresno Bee, Big Picture Educational Academy Executive Director Stephanie Hilton and Superintendent Diana Gonzalez said Campos’ actions showed a disregard for student safety.
“This was not only a potential violation of the legal restrictions placed upon him as a registered sex offender, but a profound breach of the trust and safety our school community depends on every single day,” the statement said.
Campos pleaded no contest in 2021 to a 2018 misdemeanor charge of possession of child pornography and served two years of formal probation. He is required to register as a sex offender.
Asked by reporters whether holding the event near a school violated the law, Campos said it would be illegal during school hours but claimed he believed the campus was closed at the time, according to The Fresno Bee.
“I would say, during operational hours, absolutely,” Campos said. “I believe they are closed right now. I don’t see anyone.”
The school’s website…
WOW! These dirt bags in Fresno must really be scared of this guy because they seem to be doing everything they can to prevent him from running. It’s as if they think he has a good chance of winning, and I hope he does win. Keep fighting, Mr. Campos!!!
lets see… ACROSS THE STREET, if he isnt on parole/prob then no law broken 2000′ doesnt apply weather on/off parole/prob… sounds to me like someone filed a false police report and should be arrested !!
So they want to make an ordinance to bar me from police and fire stations. So if the police take me to the station, will I be arrested for failure to comply with the ordinance? To me, this world is getting really stupid on pfrs!!!
Fresno where the chickens live
Perea said she was “deeply troubled” by Campos’ decision to hold the event near an active elementary school.
“When someone seeking office demonstrates the opposite of sound judgment and respect for the law, we have a duty to speak out,” she said in a statement reported by the newspaper.
Deeply troubled? By a press conference with reporters, cameras, microphones present in front of a church after school hours? These people create their own mystical reality, but the unfortunate part is we have to live in their reality when they thrust their psychological problems on the rest of us.
What exactly is the law? Is he on paper? Otherwise he was just fine, no? What they are doing is intimidation. They don’t want him or any other PFR out in the light of day. They are making his life hell, and he’ll probably wind up arrested because that’s the world we live in and they will be happy because it will scare anyone from trying this again.
Janice, does a letter need to go out to remind people of the law?
Mr. Campos did not violate a law by making an appearance across the street from a K-12 school because he is not on parole or probation. The only law pertaining to K-12 schools requires registrants to obtain prior written permission before they enter a school campus. Violation of that law is a misdemeanor. The citizens of the City of Fresno including the school official who called the police appear to be acting out of emotion based upon a mistaken belief that Mr. Campos and all people convicted of a sex offense pose a current risk. If the City of Fresno or any other government body adopts an ordinance prohibiting all registrants from running or serving as an elected official, they will be sued in court.
Again, political cred is being sought here by her for her CA State Assy District 31 run…she needs to be stopped.
This is why it’s important to stress that the public isn’t concerned about “re-offense,” they’re concerned about escalation. Rene Campos hasn’t assaulted anyone in his life. Why would they think he would do so now? How can someone possibly prove they won’t do something they’ve never done before? The vast majority of PFRs have not committed hands-on offenses against strangers or mere acquaintances (like neighbors, customers, co-workers), and that’s exactly what everyone is afraid of us doing. If we’re that worried about people doing things they’ve never done before, how does society even function? How can we trust ANYONE? Everyone hides their internet activity, everyone keeps secrets, how do we know anyone can be trusted not to assault children?
Could imagine what would have happened if he had his back turned towards the school. A registrant running for city council had the nerve to show his butt towards a school. Some people need to stay in their bubble or get hit with a Janice lawsuit. Maybe that medicine will make their bs down in the most delightful way.
For PFR across the nation this is gonna be very interesting to watch, I’m wondering how California is gonna silence this guy or figure out a way to lock him up. You gotta admire this guy though he’s got balls but the state,s got bigger balls and unlimited resources. The DA is just sitting back waiting for a reason to lock him up they can’t have other people forced to register trying to flex there constitutional rights.
We can’t serve as jurors in the state of California which makes absolutely no sense to me. This proposed legislation is along the same lines. I’m just waiting for us to lose the right to vote. At what point are we so disenfranchised that lawmakers realize they have created a class pf sub-citizens who do not have equal protection or rights?