Sex Offender Arrested For Trespassing At Nursery School: PD

NEW WINDSOR, NY — A sex offender was accused of trespassing in a nursery school playground in New Windsor. Town of New Windsor police said Thursday they arrested Mark Edward Nelson, 61, of Newburgh, after investigating a report of a man trespassing in a fenced-in playground.

Two employees and two children were leaving the school through the side door adjacent to the playground when Nelson approached them in the darkened area, police said.

He tried to make contact with them while on school property, according to authorities.

The women and children got in their car and left, notifying police later.

After investigating the incident, Nelson was located and arrested. Police determined he is a Level 3 sex offender.

He was charged with third-degree criminal trespass, a misdemeanor. Nelson was released without bail.

Assemblyman Colin Schmitt, R-New Windsor, decried the fact that a Level 3 sex offender was allowed to be released in New Windsor under the new bail reform laws.

He said a Level 3 offender was the most dangerous and most likely to re-offend.

"We cannot fall any further as a society than when our own children aren't even safe in a fenced-in nursery school playground," Schmitt said. "I call on the governor, state Senate and Assembly majorities to repeal this law that they imposed on us and our children immediately."

He said there was no justification for this.

"Those who voted yes need to wake up now," Schmitt said. "How many more children need to be endangered before this is handled? Repeal this law now."

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