MARION COUNTY, Fla. — A Marion County woman wants everyone to know that a sexual predator lives in her neighborhood.
Karin Ahrman put signs in her front lawn and on telephone poles to warn everyone that Ronald Rhue lives on NE 23rd Avenue in Ocala.
There is nothing illegal about what Ahrman is doing because the information can be found on the Florida Department of Law Enforcement's website.
“The first thing I do is check the address. Oh my God, he’s six houses down from me,” said Ahrman.
Rhue has been convicted of sexual battery on a child under 12 and lewd and lascivious molestation on a child 12 - 15, records show.
Ahrman said she wanted to introduce Rhue to everyone in the neighborhood, but not in person.
“I nailed them on every telephone pole in the neighborhood,” Ahrman said. "I was molested at 4. I was raped at 12. You don't get over it. Someone has to be here and be the voice for the voiceless."
9 Investigates local sexual predator clusters
The Marion County Sheriff's Office handles sex offender registration for the county.
There's nothing illegal about the sign, but Deputy Paul Bloom said Ahrman could still end up in legal trouble if something goes wrong.
"If this person, this sex offender was attacked and that person was determined that they attacked him because they heard that they were a sex offender, certainly there's going to be some civil liability there,” Bloom said.
Cox Media Group
