WCAX.COM Local Vermont News, Weather and Sports-Burlington Sex Offender Moves
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Burlington, Vermont - September 12, 2008
Dustin Moore, 18, and his mother showed up early for a court hearing about his conditions of release on his sex charge.
Moore was a juvenile sex offender released from the Woodside juvenile facility last week to return to his family home in Burlington's New North End.
Five days after he returned home Moore was charged with committing a minor sex offense while still in Woodside last spring.
Judge Ben Joseph released Moore with an order to move out of his family home because it was too close to the Flynn Elementary School.
Friday it was revealed that Moore has temporarily relocated with a relative in another part of Burlington and the judge added more conditions.
"He's not going to reside within a thousand feet of any school, day care center, or place where there are children," Judge Ben Joseph said.
Moore was also ordered to check in with Burlington police twice a day.
Moore's lawyer did not object to the unusual and stringent release conditions in the courtroom or as they left the courthouse.
"We understand your concern but this is really a family matter right now," said Cynthia Frantz, Moore's lawyer.
Chittenden County Prosecutor T.J. Donovan says the tight restrictions are legal and necessary.
"You have to weigh the considerations of the public right to know and the public safety versus Mr. Moore's right to privacy interest. I think in this matter the public does have a right to know where Mr. Moore has been living and where he is going," Donovan said.
For now the judge has agreed to keep Moore's temporary address confidential.
But Donovan says Moore is expected to have a new permanent address by early next week and Donovan will ask that the address be public.
Moore will not be on any part of the sex offender registry. The crimes were committed while he was a juvenile and all juvenile records are private, so he cannot be on the registry.
Brian Joyce - WCAX News
