Sex offender moving to Albert Lea

Published 8:11 am Tuesday, January 29, 2013

It turns out that a high-risk sex offender will not be moving to the Hollandale area near the beginning of February. However, he will reside in Albert Lea, instead, according to the Albert Lea Police Department.

What’s more, police list his address as “homeless.”

Robert Carl Goodew

A notification fact sheet states Robert Carl Goodew, 21, a Level 3 offender, engaged in sexual conduct and contact with a 12-year-old boy.

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He was charged with second-degree criminal sexual conduct in Freeborn County in 2009 for showing explicit videos to the boy and physically forcing him into “fondling,” the notification states.

He was eventually convicted of third-degree assault. He was placed on five years supervised probation and ordered to register as a predatory offender; however, he failed to register — a felony — and was sentenced to prison time.

When he was released from prison in September, he resided in Austin. He was sent back to prison for a violation.

Goodew is slated to begin residing in Albert Lea on Feb. 2.

Last week, the Freeborn County Sheriff’s Office released a notification sheet saying Goodew had been cleared to reside at 28584 800th Ave., near the southern tip of Geneva Lake about three miles west of Hollandale.

The Freeborn County Sheriff’s Office scheduled an informational community meeting for 6 p.m. Thursday at the Geneva Community Center. The meeting remains on the calendar.

Albert Lea Police Chief Dwaine Winkels said there likely will be a meeting slated for Albert Lea next week.

Goodew is coming out of prison, and the basis for the initial address had to do with where he declared he would live to prison authorities. Sometimes, the owner of the location disagrees with what an inmate declares.

Detective Chuck Malepsy with the Sheriff’s Office said a Level 3 offender can be homeless but has to check in more often.

Goodew is white with a fair complexion, medium build, black hair and brown eyes. He is 5 feet 11 inches and weighs 218 pounds.

About Tim Engstrom

Tim Engstrom is the editor of the Albert Lea Tribune. He resides in Albert Lea with his wife, two sons and dog.

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