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- Original WCCO-TV article: Small Town Fights For Safety From Sex Offender
A small northern Minnesota town is fighting a big city problem with how to treat a repeat sex offender living next to a child care center and 500 feet from a school.
Jeffery Holmgren, 37, moved to Minnesota after being convicted of sexually molesting a girl roller-skating in Nebraska. He's also been convicted and charged with similar sexual conduct in Minnesota and neighbors are trying to stop him.
"I've had it! My Minnesota nice is gone," said Ann Trippler, who runs a day care in her home on a quiet Chisago City street.
Right next door to that day care is a repeat sex offender who moved in three years ago. Holmgren moved from Ramsey County after twice serving time for indecent exposure. In Ramsey County. he was ordered not to live within two blocks of a school.
"So he moved in here and he's able to come to a different county and live less than a block away from the school," said Trippler. That school is Chisago Lake Primary School.
Several months ago Holmgren was arrested again in North Branch, Minn. for following and making lewd comments to girls ages 10 to 14.
"The worst part about it is that we found out that he still yet doesn't have a level," said neighbor Mark Anderson.
Repeat sex offenders are usually assigned either Level 1, 2 or 3, which indicates how likely they are to commit a sex crime again.
"He's proved through his history that he's just going to keep reoffending," said Anderson.
Neighbors met with Chisago City leaders on Tuesday night. Leaders said their hands were tied because state laws prevented them from taking further action against offenders.
But this community won't give up.
"What I would like to see is actually to the point where he's not a threat to anybody, period," said Anderson. "I fear that it's going to escalate much further if he's left out on the streets."
WCCO tried to talk to Jeffery Holmgren but he wouldn't open the door. A community meeting on the matter with state and city leaders is scheduled for next month.
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