LEWISTON – Police are cautioning city residents that a convicted sex offender and admitted pedophile has moved to town.

Erich Pfeil, 50, will be living at 53 Lowell St. now that he has been released from prison where he served time for molesting young boys.

In February 1998, Pfeil was convicted on charges of gross sexual assault and unlawful sexual contact in Sagadahoc County.

The victims were boys ages 10, 11 and 12, according to court records. Pfeil was convicted of sexually abusing the boys on several occasions.

Pfeil was originally indicted on 25 counts of gross sexual assault, unlawful sexual contact and assault. He later reached a plea agreement with prosecutors and was sentenced to seven years in prison.

Placed in Lewiston after his release this summer, Pfeil’s presence makes police wary because of the predatory nature of his crimes.

Investigators say Pfeil befriended the three boys by recruiting and grooming them to be victimized. He exposed the children to pornography and explicit sexual discussions, according to court documents.

According to court records, Pfeil developed a friendship with the victims over a period of months and then began to sexually molest them in various ways. Pheil promised to make “Indian suits” for two of the victims, inducing them to remove their clothes so he could measure them, investigators said.

When he was sentenced in 1998, prosecutors stressed that Pfeil was known to get involved in activities that would place him near children. He was ordered to undergo sex offender treatment as part of his sentence.

Shortly before he was released from prison, Pfeil was subjected to an Adult Sex Offender Assessment Protocol. The assessment conducted by corrections officials is meant to identify sex offenders considered to be at risk of offending further once freed from jail.

Pfeil has been ordered to register as a sex offender. He is also prohibited from contacting children under 16 years old.

While police are notifying neighbors, school officials and others about Pfeil’s presence, they are also encouraging people to contact them if they see Pfeil engaging in suspicious activity.

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