Released sex offender hounded by police, TV
January 18 2003
A convicted sex offender in the United States has been chased, punched, followed by police, filmed from television helicopters and harassed by protesters since his release from jail four months ago.
David Siebers, 45, has been run out of Michigan, Ohio and Kentucky, and has moved to several locations in New Mexico, state officials said. He left Toledo, Ohio, after the police bought him a bus ticket to Kentucky.
In Albuquerque, Siebers has been followed by reporters and police. He stayed in different places outside the city for weeks, and moved to rural Las Nutrias last week after two people let him park his trailer on their land, 80 kilometres south of Albuquerque.
Signs on the fence across the street say: "Keep Your Women/Children Away", "Molester Lives Here" and "Go back where you came from - Hell".
Siebers, 45, served nine years in prison in Michigan, beginning in 1979, for armed robbery and rape. Months after his release he was caught trying to lure a 10-year-old girl into his car and was jailed for 10 years.
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After his release in September, investigators in Michigan told the press Siebers would hurt others. A prosecutor, William Forsyth, said an FBI profile showed he was still dangerous.
The Mayor of Albuquerque, New Mexico, Martin Chavez, has told city police to monitor Siebers, even though he was outside their jurisdiction. "I'm not picking on him," Mr Chavez said. "He comes with this label 'will re-offend'. Not 'might,' but 'will'."
Jack Furlong, a lawyer who has advised Siebers's family, said he asked Mr Forsyth to make public the FBI report but he refused.
Mr Furlong said Mr Chavez was subjecting Siebers to a witch-hunt. "There is nothing more frustrating to a former offender than to be accused of future dangerousness without more information," he said.