Bayside Officials Decry Placement Of 8 Sex Offenders Near Pre-K

BAYSIDE, QUEENS — Bayside officials are sounding the alarm after a report that eight sex offenders were moved to a motel nearby a pre-K, seemingly in violation of state law.

State Sen. John Liu, Assemblymembers Nily Rozic and Ed Braunstein and City Council Member Paul Vallone gathered Thursday at Bayside's Anchor Inn on Northern Blvd. to protest the placement of eight sex offenders there. It is unclear who moved the individuals to the inn, though the state corrections department is likely the supervising agency, according to QNS.

Anchor Inn, located at 215-34 Northern Blvd., is about 161 feet away from The Learning Experience's Academy of Early Education and about 1,500 feet from elementary school P.S. 31Q, according to Google Maps. State law prohibits registered sex offenders who are on parole or probation from living within 1,000 feet of a school.

A spokeswoman from the New York State Department of Justice confirmed five sex offenders were placed at Anchor Inn, QNS reported Wednesday, though officials claimed on Thursday that eight sex offenders are being housed there.

The spokeswoman told QNS that the NYPD notified the sex offender registry on April 1 that five individuals had listed the inn's address as their residence.

"The Registry does not operate any residences for sex offenders, has no role in finding housing for sex offenders and does not supervise sex offenders," the spokeswoman told QNS.

Several of the sex offenders placed at the Anchor Inn were convicted of sex crimes against children and the elderly, according to Vallone, who represents Bayside in the City Council. One offender was convicted of sexual contact with an eight year old, according to the nonprofit Crime Victims Center. Vallone and the other local officials called for relocation of the eight individuals.

"Nothing can be more alarming than news that violent sex offenders have been placed in your community, including parolees who have attacked children,” Liu said. "Nothing trumps the safety and security for our families, especially the protection of young children, and these individuals must be moved out immediately."

Bayside residents reached out to news reporters and their local representatives after receiving an alert from the Crime Victims Center that sex offenders had moved to their zip code.