SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) – A convicted sex offender who was released from prison this week has left a Shelburne motel where he was living.

The whereabouts of Douglas Atherton, who is considered to be a “high risk” sex offender, were unknown Wednesday afternoon.

Atherton, 41, had not registered where he was living as required by Vermont’s sex offender registry rules.

The owner of GGT Tibet Inn on Shelburne Road said Tuesday he told Douglas Atherton to vacate his room. “I just got the paperwork on him, and he is a bad guy,” said motel owner Kalsang Ggt. “I talked to him and told him he would have to leave.”

South Burlington police had been distributing information about Atherton’s move to the community.

Corrections officials consider Atherton, 41, to be a high risk to reoffend because he did not take part in sex-offender treatment programs in prison.

Atherton, who had lived in St. George, has been convicted three times of lewd and lascivious conduct with minor boys. The most recent charge was in 1993.

After serving 12 years in prison, he was released Monday morning.

Atherton originally planned to move to Winooski. His potential move prompted city officials to hold a community meeting that drew about 100 residents who said they were concerned about Atherton’s presence in their city.

South Burlington Police Chief Lealand Graham learned Monday night that Atherton had decided instead to move to South Burlington.

Ggt confirmed that he was staying at the GGT Tibet Inn.

“I met him yesterday,” Ggt said. “He shaked my hand and thanked me for giving him a chance for a room. … I’m always helping the prisoner guy. Most people, they don’t want to give a room to these people. I say everybody makes a mistake.”

But Ggt told him to leave when he learned the details of his criminal background.

“It would hurt my business” if Atherton stayed longer at the motel, Ggt said.

Graham said he had no standing on a proposal in the Legislature called civil commitment that would continue to hold some offenders considered to be dangerous predators beyond their prison sentences.

He said he had mixed emotions about Atherton’s difficulty finding a home.

“Everyone deserves a second chance, but when someone is as likely to re-offend as he is, he doesn’t belong near children,” he said. “I hope Atherton can find a place that will take him.”