Local News

Local Township Pushes For Sex Offender Ordinance

EAST WHEATFIELD TWP. (KDKA) ― An Indiana County township wants to enforce some of the strictest laws for sex offenders in the state of Pennsylvania.

East Wheatfield Township supervisors met Friday morning to draft an ordinance governing where registered sex offenders can live within their township.

Supervisors say they want to keep sex offenders from living within 2,500 feet of schools, bus stops, senior centers and other similar facilities.

The meeting comes after Richard Vavro, 54, moved into neighboring Armagh Borough on September 14. Vavro was recently released on parole after serving six years in prison for an involuntary deviate sexual intercourse charge involving a person under the age of 16 in Butler County.

Vavro says he's sorry for his crime, but isn't planning to repeat it. That's not good enough for Deana McLaughlin, who lives across the street from Vavro in East Wheatfield Township.

McLaughlin has three children and says she doesn't feel safe letting her children go outside alone. She went to government asking for stricter laws to govern where sex offenders can live. She says her children's bus stop is right across the street from Vavro's home.

The East Wheatfield Township ordinance will be advertised in the local newspaper for two weeks before township supervisors vote on October 24.

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