Franklin Delano Roe, 72, a Level 3 sex offender, recently re-registered with the Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office as now residing in the 8700 block of Shore Place N.W. in Silverdale near Silverdale Waterfront Park.

Roe’s previous registered address was in Suquamish.

According to court documents, Roe was convicted of two counts of third-degree

child molestation in 2001, for sexually assaulting three male victims

between the ages of 9 and 16. In Kitsap County, he was convicted of escape from

community custody in 2003, and for failing to register as a sex offender in 2004. In 2005 in the state of Florida, and in 2008 in Kitsap County, Roe was again convicted of failing to register as a sex offender.

Due to his denial of the offenses, he was found not amenable for any sex offender treatment program. Roe has been assessed as a Level 3 sex offender for the degree of “grooming” used with his victims and the length of his sexual offender history with minors.

“The person who is named in this advisory has been convicted of criminal offenses that require registration with the sheriff’s office in the county of residence,” said Sheriff Steve Boyer. “Further, his previous criminal history places him in a classification level that reflects the potential to re-offend.”

There will be a community notification meeting concerning Roe at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 10 in the Poplar Room of the Silverdale Community Center, located at 9729 Silverdale Way N.W. in Silverdale.

This notification is not intended to increase fear; rather, an informed public is a safer public. The sheriff’s office has no legal authority to direct where a registered sex offender may or may not reside. Unless court-ordered restrictions exist, registered offenders are constitutionally free to live wherever they choose. Sexual offenders have always lived within our communities. It wasn’t until passage of legislation entitled the “Community Protection Act of 1990,” which mandates sex offender registration, that civil authorities even knew where they were living.

Abuse of information provided through the sex offender notification process, in order to intimidate, harass or threaten registered offenders, will result in an investigation and the filing of criminal charges against the perpetrators. Such abuse could potentially end law enforcement’s ability to conduct community notifications. The only person who “wins,” if community notification is halted, is the registered sex offender, as sexual offenders derive their power through secrecy.

As of Nov. 24, 2008 there are 20,385 sex offenders who have registered as required and are living in the state of Washington. Of this number, 496 are living in locations within the unincorporated areas of Kitsap County, while 241 offenders are living within the limits of incorporated municipalities in the county; 84 are incarcerated in jail or with the state department of corrections and 17 are transient.

The Sheriff’s Community Resource Officer, Deputy Pete Ball, is available to assist communities in establishing block or neighborhood watch programs and to provide the public with information on personal safety. He may be contacted at (360) 337-7074.

For further information on registered sex offenders in Kitsap County, contact Detective Doug Dillard at (360) 337-5617.