Level 3 sex offender seen talking to children in Lexington

LEXINGTON, Mass. (WHDH) -- Parents in Lexington are on alert after reports of a sex offender talking to children -- and what's most concerning for them is that police say there is nothing they can do about it.

Lexington schools warned parents that a level three sex offender has been approaching children.

“Emails have been circulating, and everybody has heard about who he is and what he’s been up to,” said Beth Randall, a concerned parent.

William Lafauci served his time for indecent assault on a child in 1993 and exposing himself in 1998.

The Sex Offender Registry Board considers Lafauci at high risk to re-offend, so when a mother spotted him talking to her child on the walk to school, she became concerned.

“I was surprised to know that a level three offender was able to speak with children. I thought there would be some sort of restriction on that,” said Jenny Lisle, a concerned parent.

School officials at Bridge Elementary sent a letter home to parents, but Lafauci isn’t breaking any laws; Lexington has no specific restrictions to stop sex offenders from going near parks and schools -- so police can only urge awareness of Lafauci, and all sex offenders in the area.

“It’s sort of a Catch 22. I mean, you don’t want to violate somebody else’s rights, obviously. But at the same time, you do wish that there was something more defined -- that maybe there were a limit -- he’s not within a certain radius of children. Near practice fields or schools, that kind of thing,” said Randall.

The town of Lexington would have to change its laws to keep sex offenders away from parks and schools.