Fayetteville Today

A homeless encampment near the Gillespie Street bridge hasn’t raised any concerns. But, parents were told that sex offenders are among the homeless and were reminded to keep an eye on things, because some sex offenders reside in the encampment.

"Monitor who's by you and what people are doing at all times,” Cumberland County Sheriff Sgt. Mickey Locklear said in a WTVD report. 

The sheriff's office recently issued a press release in which they detailed the matter.

”Eleven Registered Sex Offenders live under and around the MLK and Gillespie Street Bridge,” the press release stated. “There are currently 23 homeless sex offenders registered in Cumberland County residing in various places which are not ‘permanent dwellings’ but technically comply with the Sex Offender Registry.”

The Fayetteville Urban Ministry, an agency that helps the homeless, didn’t comment about the press release specifically, but the ministry's leader, Executive Director Johnny Wilson, reminded people to have compassion when it comes to dealing with those down on their luck.

"You have to be on the street and have conversation with folks that are in this lifestyle at this particular time,” Wilson said of the job his business does. 

Whether a person in need of help is a registered sex offender doesn't matter to Wilson.

"I'm very empathetic, and we keep our stones in our pocket because just like that, our lives can change overnight,” he said in the report. “So you have to be careful who you're throwing your words at, and throwing your stones to.”

Still, he’s not surprised to learn that registered sex offenders are among the homeless, and he said it’s a good idea for people to be aware.

”That's where we're at in today's world,” he said. “Use your technology as your best guidance now." 

The Cumberland County Sheriff's Office said the county has more than 800 registered sex offenders, and people should take advantage of the resources available to find where they reside.