LEWISTON – A new state Web site launched Monday lists all of the registered sex offenders living in Maine. Police want residents to know if a sexual predator is living among them. Probation officials want to know if one of their suspects breaks the law.

But even before the new state Web site was launched, police say the system of notification has been working. At least one local man is back behind bars because of it.

David Beaudette, a 42-year-old convicted sex offender from Lewiston, was in jail this week charged with violating conditions of his probation. Police officials believe the latest offenses may send Beaudette back to prison for nearly three years.

Since January, Beaudette has been listed as a sex offender following his release from prison late last year. Beaudette served time for gross sexual assault and sexual abuse of a minor, crimes committed in 1993 and 2001.

Beaudette also spent time in prison for crimes such as aggravated assault, arson and drug trafficking, but it was the sex crimes that got him on the list.

Beaudette had been convicted of sexually abusing teen-age girls. Under Maine law, that qualified him for the sex offender registry. So when he moved to River Street earlier this year, police began notifying neighbors about his presence here.

In late November, police began receiving information that Beaudette was involved in activities prohibited by his probation. Investigators learned he was staying at a Lisbon home and raided the residence with a search warrant.

Police said Beaudette was discovered hiding inside the home where a 10-month-old girl was living and that drugs and a shotgun were also found. In all, Beaudette was charged with seven counts of violating probation and sent back to jail.

Beaudette was scheduled to appear in court for possible sentencing on Thursday.

A probation official said the sex offender notification system helped police learn about Beaudette’s alleged criminal behavior. It also helped lead them to the suspect when they were prepared to arrest him.

The Web site that went online Monday should make the job of keeping track of sexual predators quicker and more efficient, according to police officials.

Anyone with access to a computer can now read a list of every offender living in their community. In most cases, a photo of the offender is provided. The site also lists the offender’s name, date of birth, city of residence and a list of convictions.

“In the past, a person would have to make an appointment with their local police department and then physically go there to view the list,” said probation and parole officer Mike Simoneau. “Almost everyone has a computer or access to a computer these days. Now it’s all right there.”

The state requires everyone convicted of sex crimes after June 30, 1992, to register with the state and submit a passport quality photo. When the state Web site was launched there were approximately 1,200 names on the state list. Web surfers could view the list by city or town or by entering the name of one of the offenders.

As of Tuesday night, there were 53 offenders listed in Lewiston, 25 in Auburn, 54 in Bangor and 48 in Portland.

The new Web site was also not without its glitches. On Tuesday, the site often bogged down and failed to display requested pages. And performing back-to-back searches proved difficult as the second search often defaulted back to the results of the first.

State officials maintaining the site were expected to fix problems and update the registry.

Police in Lewiston and other cities said they will continue to make door-to-door notifications when sex offenders move to town. However, some departments may provide links to the state sex offender registry on their own department Web sites.

The state Web site can be accessed through www.maine.gov or directly at http://www4.informe.org/sor/index.html.

mlaflamme@sunjournal.com

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