Bayside Residents Want Sex Offender Out

Tenants from Towers at Waters Edge in Bayside and local elected officials are still demanding the removal of a level-three sex offender living in one of the apartment complexs high rises.
A small rally was held on Saturday to put pressure on the State Parole Board to relocate Matthew Ponzo, 20, who is convicted of sexually abusing a five-year-old and eight-year-old, from the apartment complex where he lives with his parents to a more suitable location.
"It is not fair for the local residents to put their children in danger," said State Senator Toby Stavisky, noting that level-three offenders are the most at risk for recidivism.
Although tenants said there have been no incidents with Ponzo, they believe an apartment environment is not suitable for a level-three offender. Twenty-six children live in Ponzos building. And tenants say there are no security cameras in the towers stairs. Also, PS 169, a shopping center and a library, which operates a "latch key" program for children, are within a block of the apartment complex.
Residents have asked for the sex offenders removal since learning last fall he was living with his parents in one of the towers. Ponzo had been paroled in October 2003 and released into his parents custody. Tenants and elected officials held a meeting to discuss Ponzos living situation with State Parole Board members and the sex-offenders probation officer in December. But, despite resident complaints, the State Parole Board said that he is allowed to live in the apartment high rise.
Though the State Parole Board has a criteria it follows for placing sex offenders back into the community, there are no restrictions on how close the parolee can live from children or a school. However, as part of his probation, Ponzo is required to wear a surveillance bracelet and has a curfew from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m.
Tenants at the meeting also expressed anger that they were not actively notified of Ponzos residence. New York State follows a passive notification approach for level-three sex offenders. A registry of offenders with information and their residence can be found on the Department of Criminal Justices web site, criminaljustice.state.ny.us.
Stavisky believes a more appropriate living situation for Ponzo would be a halfway house, where he would receive more supervision.
"Its like putting a child in front of a candy store and telling him not to eat the candy," she said about his current living situation.
Senator Stavisky and other politicians will meet again with the State Parole Board officials later this month. As of December 2003, 833 sex offenders resided in Queens.