Since July 2018, a third Level 3 sex offender is being released from prison and moving to Winnebago.
Police Chief Eric Olson says a public notification meeting is being held for 39-year-old Archester Rodgers Jr. on March 16 beginning at 6 p.m. at the Municipal Center Community Room.
“Because of social distancing, there will also be a link to join the meeting remotely from a computer,” says Olson. “The link will be supplied on the city’s webpage. Representatives from the Department of Corrections (DOC) and Winnebago Public Safety will be available to provide useful information.”
Mark Bliven, director of Risk Assessment/Community Notification for DOC, says Rodgers is currently serving a 30-month sentence in St. Cloud for a 2017 violation of not registering.
He also was convicted of a fifth-degree criminal sexual conduct misdemeanor charge that involved two adult female victims, but did not have to serve time in prison.
Bliven says Rodgers has a concurrent 24-month sentence for a 2019 violation of failing to register that is associated with a misdemeanor domestic assault conviction.
“He has served time in prison four times,” says Bliven. “His next release is scheduled for Monday, March 15.”
Because a Level 3 sex offender is considered a high risk to re-offend, state law requires a public meeting be held by law enforcement to inform local residents.
As of July 1, 2019, there were 18,000 people required to register as an offender in the state, according to the DOC. Of those, 54 of the registrants live in Faribault County.
While 15 registrants have a Winnebago address, according to local authorities, eight are actually living within the city limits.