LE SUEUR CO., Minn. -
Many residents in rural St. Peter are breathing a sigh of relief after hearing Gregory Eugene Ward, a level three–sex offender, will not be moving into their neighborhood.
The landlord of the building where Ward was planning to live has changed his mind after hearing concerns of area residents. That's welcome news to nearby neighbors.
"I was real relieved," Lois Pettis said.
Lois Pettis lives with three of her young grandchildren, and was worried because Ward was moving into a home just down the hill following his release from prison on Monday.
"I thought, uh oh, I'm 32000 block so that means he's pretty close, so I was concerned," Pettis said.
Ward was set to move into an apartment off of Highway 99, owned by Gene Lewis. But, after hearing from over 150 concerned residents at a notification meeting Thursday night, Lewis changed his mind.
"My original thought was this would be a really good spot for Mr. Ward to live," Gene Lewis said.
Lewis says he thought the location was in a rural enough area. He says the other tenants in the complex don't have children, and he didn't know of any in the area.
"What changed my mind was the neighbors with children," Lewis said.
Lewis received about 100 calls. Many, he says, were rude and threatening, but it was the concerns from direct neighbors that gave him a change of heart.
"I have grand kids I'm very proud of and would not put them in a jeopardy situation nor will I put someone else's kids in that jeopardy situation," Lewis said.
That means Ward now has to find a different place to live. That's just fine with Pettis.
"I thought these guys have to live someplace, but not in my neighborhood. I'm one of those people I guess," Pettis said.
Ward has a history of sexual contact with female victims, age 7 to adult. Contact included exposure and fondling. Force was used.
Le Sueur County Sheriff Tom Doherty says Ward is still set to be released on Monday, but at this point it's not known where he will go. A public notification meeting will be held when Ward finds another place to live. Doherty says Ward will be monitored by GPS.
