Posted on 07/14/2007 4:37:53 PM PDT by DogByte6RER
Neighborhood alarmed to learn ice-cream truck vendor is registered sex offender
01:13 AM PDT on Saturday, July 14, 2007
By SARAH BURGE
The Press-Enterprise
A group of Perris homeowners has launched a campaign to run their local ice cream man out of the neighborhood.
Anthony G. Toles, his neighbors discovered recently, is a registered sex offender who has been living and driving his ice cream truck in the Villages of Avalon, a newer housing development near Lake Perris.
On the Fourth of July, about 10 neighbors distributed 500 custom-printed door hangers alerting residents to "a potential threat to our children" driving a green ice cream truck.
"They have to live somewhere," said Amanda Burnham, one neighbor who helped distribute the door hangers, "but they don't have to drive an ice cream truck."
Toles, 48, was incensed when he heard of the neighborhood campaign. But his neighbors may get their way -- he's thinking of moving.
"I think that it's very messed up the way everybody is judging me," he said, describing himself as a father and grandfather. "It hurts me. My pride is hurt.
"My neighbors were always cool," he said. "Now they probably hate me."
Toles pleaded guilty in 2003 to continuous sexual abuse of a child and lewd and lascivious acts against a child. The victims were described in court records as his daughters, both of whom were under 14. He was placed on three years' probation and sentenced to one year in county jail with credit for seven months served, court records show. His probation expired last July.
Toles contends he didn't molest his daughters. He said he pleaded guilty because he had poor legal representation and didn't want to risk prison time.
Toles, who lives with his wife in a two-story rented home, said he's no predator, that he's merely trying to earn a living selling candy, ice cream and water guns. He said he drives an ice cream truck because no one wants to hire someone with his criminal history.
But while Toles peddled frozen treats at schools, parks and swimming pools for the past couple months, his neighbors were reporting the movements of his "dreaded green ice cream truck" on a community Internet message board. The discussion began in May with a neighbor who spotted him on the Megan's Law Internet database of registered sex offenders.
The Megan's Law site was launched by the state Department of Justice in 2004 for residents who want to keep track of registered sex offenders in their neighborhoods.
Sheriff's Department spokesman Jerry Franchville said Perris police checked on Toles after a neighbor reported him, but because he is no longer on parole or probation there's nothing they can do.
No Ban On Vending
Registered sex offenders aren't allowed to work in California massage parlors, but there is no law to prevent them from driving ice cream trucks.
Sandra Del Rio, a business license specialist with the city of Perris, said the city does not do formal background checks on applicants, but anyone applying to be a fortuneteller, pawnshop operator or peddler, such as an ice cream truck driver, is asked to disclose any criminal convictions. If they do, she said, their applications would be referred to the city attorney, who could reject them.
Del Rio said Toles does not appear to hold a Perris business license, although Toles said that he does.
The Villages of Avalon neighbors wouldn't be the first people to take exception to a registered sex offender ice cream man.
New York state passed a law in 2005 to prohibit registered sex offenders from driving ice cream trucks. And last year an Illinois state legislator introduced a bill that would require ice cream truck drivers to register with the state for a special identification card. Anyone convicted of homicide or a sex offense would be denied.
At Toles' home this week, the neighborhood alert message lay on his coffee table alongside photos showing his smiling children and grandchildren.
Toles said he found the announcement on his ice cream truck last week. Across the top it read, "Villages of Avalon On Alert." It did not include his name or photo, but it encouraged neighbors to search for registered sex offenders in the area on the Megan's Law Web site. It also pointed out that a neighbor who drives a green ice cream truck is included on the site.
Toles, who says he is illiterate, didn't realize the notice was about him until a relative read it to him.
Since the door hangers appeared, Toles said, a chill has set in. Before, neighbors would greet him cheerfully. Children would come knocking on his door demanding candy. Now, no one speaks to him.
"All it takes is the word 'sex offender,' " he said, "and boom!"
As protests against sex offenders go, the Villages of Avalon campaign against Toles has been low key.
In 2005, for example, Mead Valley residents staged a shrill, monthslong demonstration against David Dokich, a repeat sex offender who came to live in a halfway house there after he was released from prison.
Residents staked out the home, chanting into bullhorns and waving signs with messages such as "Pervert Alert." Eventually, Dokich was arrested on a parole violation and sent back to jail where he was severely beaten by another inmate. He died earlier this year.
Still, the Villages of Avalon campaign may succeed in driving Toles out.
Toles said he has already stopped driving his truck in the neighborhood.
Living there, he said, isn't worth the aggravation either.
"I'll just move on," Toles said.
But he said he has no plans to give up his ice cream truck.
Staff writer Richard Brooks contributed to this report.
Reach Sarah Burge at 951-375-3736 or sburge@PE.com
“Ice Cream Man”
Van Halen
dedicate one to the ladies...)
Now summertimes here babe, need somethin to keep you cool
Ah now summertimes here babe, need somethin to keep you cool
Better look out now though, daves got somethin for you
Tell ya what it is
Im your ice cream man, stop me when Im passin by
Oh my my, Im your ice cream man, stop me when Im passin by
See now all my flavors are guaranteed to satisfy
Hold on a second baby
I got good lemonade, ah, dixie cups
All flavors and push ups too
Im your ice cream man, baby, stop me when Im passin by
See now all my flavors are guaranteed to satisfy
Hold on, one more
Well, Im usually passin by just about eleven oclock
Uh huh, I never stop, Im usually passin by, just around eleven oclock
And if you let me cool you one time, youll be my regular stop
All right boys
I got good lemonade, ah, dixie cups
All flavors and push ups too
Im your ice cream man, stop me when Im passin by
See now all my flavors are guaranteed to satisfy
Yes Im your ice cream man, stop me when Im passin by
Im your ice cream man, stop me when Im passin by
They say all my flavors are guaranteed to satisfy
Ah, one time
Im your ice cream man, stop me when Im passin by
Im your ice cream man, stop me when Im passin by
They say all my flavors are guaranteed to satisfy
One time, boys
Im your ice cream man
Im your ice cream man
B-b-b-b-b-b-b-baby
Ah my, my, my
All my flavors are guaranteed to satis-uh-fy
Ow
These child sex pervs obviously want to put themselves in position to access little kids. A few years ago an ice cream truck driver in Phoenix got busted for dragging a little girl into his truck and molesting her.
Good for her. In this world, though, I’ll be surprised if she doesn’t get sued for everything by the ACLU or some other Leftist nut group.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.