It has often been said that misery loves company...
So do sex offenders, apparently.
According to the Sex Offender registration software used by the Fort Smith Police Department, there are 323 registered sex offenders within the city limits of Fort Smith.
Of that number, twenty live at the same address, which links to an apartment complex on the city's south side.
That is 6% of the total number of those on the list in Fort Smith. Of that number, eighteen are categorized as Level 3 - High Risk.
"I'm concerned about the high number of offenders living in one area," said a Fort Smith woman who said she frequents businesses "pretty close to" 621 Xavier Street, which is located between Wheeler Avenue and South 5th Street.
According to Arkansas law, a sex offender cannot live or loiter within 500 feet of community safety zones. A sex offender cannot live within 1,000 feet of schools, childcare facilities, or their victim. The state parole board decides how close to a child safety zone a paroled sex offender can live or visit.
In the case of the Xavier location, there is good news and bad news.
A cursory drive-through of the area reveals only three other residences on the stretch of street between Wheeler and South 5th.. But there are two churches within or just outside the 500-foot boundary.
The area is commercial and industrial for the most part, but is also within easy walking distance of both a move theater and a children's "bounce house" establishment.
The next street over to the south is South Zero and there are several houses across the alleyway from from the back side of Xavier Street. There are also two private homes on South 5th Street to the southwest of the apartment complex. Most of the area to the north of Xavier is industrialized.
Privacy laws prevents discovery of how many apartments house sex-offenders in the complex, but it appears there are at least twenty-four units meaning that other apartments could be occupied by non -offenders.
The violations of the residents run the gamut from sexual assault to rape to sex crimes against children.
"I'm sure a lot of people may be aware of the sheer number of offenders living in this area, but I appreciate you putting this out there as a cautionary tale," said the anonymous woman. "Maybe others will see this and understand the risk."
Below is the list of current offenders living at the address. You can access more information on each offender by clicking HERE.
