A hidden danger is lurking near valley schools and parks. Convicted sex offenders could be living only steps away from where your children play and there is no state law to keep them away.
Unless a parole or probation officer restricts a specific sex offender from living in a certain area, they really can be anywhere.
"We try to come as often as we can but the fact that you see all these weirdos walking around here, it makes you nervous cause you don't know what's going through their mind," said one parent at Maslow Park.
13 Action News took a look at the numbers of sex offenders living near parks. They paint the picture of a frightening reality.
"They shouldn't be allowed this close to children," said another parent. "There's so many kids walking around here."
The Nevada Sex Offender Registry shows three parks in the southeast part of town have some of the highest number of sex offenders living nearby.
Horseman and Dog Fanciers Park has 125 within two miles, two of them within walking distance.
East Las Vegas Park has 88 registered sex offenders living within two miles, two of them right on the edge of the park.
Maslow Park has 135 within a couple miles and 10 of those within a half mile of the park.
"They really need to start patrolling around these parks a little more," said a parent.
According to Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, Nevada law says they're allowed to be there.
These numbers account for the level two and level three registered sex offenders. That means the ones with more dangerous crimes and are more likely to reoffend. Level one sex offender information is not listed on the registry.
13 Action News also reached out to the Nevada Department of Public Safety for more information on why these sex offenders are allowed to live where they do. We have not heard back yet.
