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Sexual Predator Moves To Muscoy After Being Told He Wasn't Welcome In Hesperia

HESPERIA (CBS) — A man the state calls a sexually violent predator is on the move after residents of Hesperia said the man was not welcome there.

The police in Hesperia sent out flyers warning residents that Martin Kenneth Smith was their new neighbor. He moved there last week.

Reaction from Hesperia neighbors was swift and Smith told officials he was uncomfortable and planned to move from the Inland Empire hamlet.

KCAL9 and CBS2 reporter Greg Mills says Smith has settled on Muscoy, a community near Hesperia.

Mills says residents there aren't thrilled either.

Mills spoke to one a registered sex offender as well as with a concerned parent of two boys.

Just like they did in Hesperia, the Sheriff's department plans to send out warning fliers to residents in the area where Smith now lives.

Smith's Hesperia neighbors learned about Martin Kenneth Smith's presence on Chestnut Street Monday and many said they were upset because many registered sex offenders now live on their block.

"That's scary. That's very scary," said Lisa Saavedra, upon hearing that Smith moved in two doors away.

"It's terrifying. I don't feel comfortable," she said.

Saavedra said she planned to take precautions, such as calling her mom or her boyfriend when she gets home late at night from work. Her mother said that one of them would meet her at her car and walk her inside her house.

"Oh yeah, definitely, with my German Shepherd of course," said Lisa's mother, Carol Saavedra, adding that she was worried for her daughter.

"Yes I am, very much so. Because he is a violent rapist," she said.

According to the Megan's Law website, Smith lived in a home with four other registered sex offenders. At least two were home when we knocked on the door, but nobody answered.

Lisa's mother does not want Smith or any other sex offenders on her street.

"They should be out in the desert somewhere," Carol Saavedra said.

The Saavedra's have lived here for 26 years. Now they are surrounded by registered sex offenders -- five in one house and another one next door.

They do not consider their next door neighbor to be a threat, even though he spent almost three years behind bars for his offense.

He did not want his name used or face shown. He lives with his girlfriend and said the Saavedra's should be concerned living so close to Smith.

Yeah, I believe so, because of the situation being a violent predator. Predator means 'looking for.' So yeah, they should be concerned," he said.

 

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