Outrage as child sex offender running for city council holds press conference outside Fresno school, cops called

"Until 2015, under Jessica's Law, California prohibited registered sex offenders from living within 2,000ft of any school or park in the state. The law was later declared unconstitutional by the California Supreme Court, which ruled that residency restrictions must be applied on a case-by-case basis."

"We want to be unequivocally clear: Our school had absolutely nothing to do with this event. Mr. Campos was not invited. Mr. Campos is not affiliated with our academy. His presence was not welcome."

"While I respect anybody's ability to serve our community, I find this quite disturbing. It has come to my attention and even hit national news that we have a registered sex offender that is currently running for Fresno City Council."

Rene Campos, a 41-year-old registered sex offender, held a press conference outside St. John's Cathedral in Fresno, approximately 10 feet from Big Picture Elementary School, to address public outrage over his criminal past. The school subsequently filed a police report. California's previous 2,000-foot residency restriction for sex offenders near schools was declared unconstitutional in 2015, requiring case-by-case restrictions instead. It remains unclear what specific conditions apply to Campos. His candidacy for City Council District 7 has sparked significant controversy, with city officials including Councilwoman Annalisa Perea expressing concern. The school issued a statement clarifying Campos was not invited and his presence was unwelcome. Incumbent Nelson Esparza indicated the council is considering legislation to prevent registered sex offenders from running for office.

Read at California Post