Felony charges filed against sex offender in Hamburg
By Paul Downer
Community Editor
(Created: Wednesday, November 5, 2008 11:57 AM CST)
Concerned citizens filled Hamburg Hall last Wednesday evening, Oct. 29, to find out more about the Level III sex offender who moved to Hamburg unannounced on Oct. 5.
Carver County Sheriff Bud Olson presided over the meeting, and was joined by representatives from the Minnesota Department of Corrections, the Jacob Wetterling Resource Center and Carver County Attorney Jim Keeler.
Along with information on past actions of the offender, Gerald Eldred Keast, 38, officials also updated the public about new charges brought against Keast by the Carver County Attorney’s Office the day before the meeting, Oct. 28.
The basis of those charges also answered the question of how Keast had managed to move to the community before residents were notified. Olson explained that Keast failed to notify his corrections officer at least five days prior to his move from Minneapolis to Hamburg as required by law.
He provided notification only after he had moved, and Olson was not made aware of Keast’s presence in the county until Oct. 10.
Based on Keast’s failure to give proper notification and his past history of failing to register as a sex offender in Wisconsin in 2004 and Minnesota in 2006, the county attorney’s office filed felony charges against Keast Oct. 28.
In addition to those charges, Keeler said he requested an arrest warrant to detain Keast immediately, but the judge consented only to a court summons.
Keeler said he was disappointed with the decision and would do all in his power to see that Keast’s disregard for the notification process was properly dealt with.
“If there is any group of people who should follow the letter of the law, it is
,” said Keller. “We felt that his past history and his failure to provide proper notification warranted an immediate arrest.”
When asked by a citizen what the chances were that Keast would be returned to prison after his court hearing scheduled for Nov. 21, Keeler answered that the judicial process would likely take more than one hearing, but added, “I’m sure going to try. We will vigorously pursue prosecution of this case, but the final decision will be made by a judge.”
In Hamburg
Regardless of how Keast fares in court later this month, he will be residing in Hamburg as Carver County’s only Level III (the most likely to re-offend) sex offender for the immediate future. Olson explained that he is employed with a trucking company, a job that takes him outside the community from morning until suppertime.
When he is in town, there are restrictions to his current living situation. He is currently barred from loitering in public areas such as parks, and cannot go to local bars. Law enforcement officers can stop by his residence on Park Avenue to check on him at any time on any day of the week.
If Keast or any other suspicious individual is spotted loitering in places like parks where children could be playing, officials urged residents to call the police.
Criminal history
Keast was originally convicted of second-degree criminal sexual conduct in St. Louis County in 1985 when he was 15 years old. At the time, he received probation for fondling male victims ranging in age from six to eight years old. Both victims knew Keast before the criminal conduct took place.
Keast’s second and last known sexual offense came in 1994 when he was convicted of third-degree criminal sexual conduct for having sexual contact with a 15-year-old female, including penetration. That victim also knew Keast prior to the incident, and the incident also occurred in St. Louis County.
Keast received a prison sentence following his second offense, and was released in 1998. His release was revoked and he returned to prison in 1999, only to be freed in 2000 and re-incarcerated in 2002 when his release was again revoked. His sentence expired in 2003 and Keast has been out of prison since then.
He is currently on probation until March 2010, and will be required to register as a sex offender until 2022.
How to respond
While upcoming court proceedings may eventually remove Keast from the community, officials urged vigilance and understanding in the meantime.
Nancy Sabin of the Jacob Wetterling Resource Center said parents should talk to their children about safety and stay alert without becoming paranoid or antagonistic. She advised parents to find out when their children are leaving the house and where they are going, and have them walk in groups when possible.
She also urged parents to find out who their children view as trustworthy adults and to discuss different situations that could arise before they occur.
The most effective safety measure, she said, will be to stay away from Keast altogether. Officials emphasized that in 93 percent of similar cases, offenders and victims are acquainted with one another in some form and, as noted before, his victims were previously acquainted with Keast.
“He harms people he knows, so just give him space and don’t get to know him,” said Sabin. “We might not like this guy moving in here, but we need to give him a chance to turn his life around.”
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