I-Team: Level 3 Sex Offenders

HOLYOKE, Mass. (WWLP) - Registered Sex Offenders have a legal right to go out and get a job.   And some local cities and towns don't restrict where they can work.

The 22News I-team has a warning for parents.  
 
The Sex Offender Registry Board determined that because of the degree of dangerousness a level three sex offender poses to the public the public is best served by active community notification.  The 22News I-team is working for you with information about where one level three sex offender is working.  

"A Level 3 sex offender is a sex offender that is most likely to re-offend", says Luz Lizarribar, a Detective with Springfield's Special Victims Unit.

Level 3 status is determined by the sex offender registry board, based on the person's criminal convictions.      Victor Davila is a level three sex offender. Davila was convicted of five offenses in 1999 and 2002, including open and gross lewdness, rape and abuse of a child and rape of a child with force.  The 47 year old Davila works at a Kiosk called Buckle Up in the Holyoke Mall.  He is not an employee of the Holyoke Mall or the Pyramid Management Group which owns the mall.  

("Is that a concern for you with so many children at that mall?")

"I would say so I think it would be a concern, especially now that it's the summer time that a lot of the kids are hanging around the mall", says Lizarribar.

In Holyoke there are no restrictions on where registered sex offenders can or cannot work.  In Springfield, registered sex offenders cannot work in schools, parks or libraries, but if hired could work in a mall.

"A mall would be okay, yes", says Lizarribar.   

Holyoke Mall Marketing Director Lisa Wray told the 22News I-team, the Mall does not has a master of list of employees and she gave us this statement.  

"The Holyoke Mall strives to provide a safe and enjoyable shopping and work environment for all of our guests and employees. With regards to all employees hired by and working for Pyramid Management Group and in this case the Holyoke Mall, we follow very strict hiring guidelines that meet all state and federal laws. For employees employed by tenants at the Holyoke Mall, we have no involvement or control over those tenants' individual hiring practices."

("If you were to talk to a parent to say there is a Level 3 Sex Offender somewhere that your child goes, what would you tell that parent to be cautious of?")

"I would say to be cautious and make sure that your child doesn't communicate or go to that area", says Lizarribar.

Davila was sentenced to 5-6 years in prison in 2002.  He is currently on probation for 10 years.  And a reminder, there are no restrictions on sex offenders going to a mall as a customer.