Sex offender living near two
Lakeland schools
by Amy Borrelli
A Level 3 sex offender has moved into an apartment complex less than
a mile from two elementary schools in the Lakeland School District.
According to the New York State Sex Offender Registry, Derrick Albert,
convicted of first-degree rape of a 16-year-old female in Rochester
in 1990, moved into an apartment at 3469 Lexington Avenue.
George Washington Elementary School, at 3634 Lexington Avenue, is
half a mile away from the complex, and Van Cortlandtville Elementary
School, on Route 6, is about three-quarters of a mile away.
The Sex Offender Registration Act, more commonly known as Megan's
Law, requires anyone on parole or probation or imprisoned for a sex
offense as of 1996 to register with the Division of Criminal Justice
Services.
Albert, 34, was released from Midstate Correctional Facility in Oneida
County in July 1999 after serving the maximum sentence of nine years.
Upon his release, the court designated Albert as a Level 3 risk, defined
as a "high risk of repeat offense and a threat to public safety"
by Criminal Justice Services.
According to the Westchester County Police sex offender website, Albert
is not employed and does not own a vehicle. He also uses the names
Darnell Albert and Donell Albert, and previously resided in Mount
Vernon.
Following district practice, Lakeland posted a notice on its website
with a link to the information provided by Westchester County Police,
and sent a letter to parents in the 10547 ZIP code.
"We send the letter out acknowledging to our parent community
that this has happened, and we take the opportunity in faculty meetings
to make sure there's a level of awareness with our teachers and professional
staff," said George Washington Principal Tracy Norman.
"We urge people to talk to their kids about strangers,"
said Lakeland Director of Public Information James Van Develde. "The
staff knows about it, and both the Yorktown police and the State Police
are aware of it."
