Yes, he is a criminal who has been on probation for the very crimes he NOW expresses fantasies of repeating.
To his probation officer no less.
If thoughts make one a criminal, then we can all be put in jail at any time.
Really? Do you tell probation officers (after violating your probabation) that you fantasize about committing criminal acts you are now on probation for?
This is far more than a case of the "thought police" jailing innocent people.
And he’s doing more than thinking. His parole and treatment terms require that he avoid going to places where he will encounter children. Presumably there are provisions for normal activities like clothes and grocery shopping, which can be done with a responsible adult accompanying him. But there is NO legitimate reason for a convicted sex offender to be making trips to toy stores. If he wants to buy a Christmas or birthday present for a young relative, he is free to order online. Toy stores are clearly out, but he went anyway. He’s not be locked up for his thoughts, he’s being locked up for a combination of past crime, parole violations, expressing thoughts of reoffending to a parole officer, AND actions which indicate he is actually planning to reoffend.
To his probation officer no less.
What was the motive in telling the PO? If the goal is to have the PO work with him to find the least-restrictive way he can structure his life to avoid temptation, I would think it in everyone's interest for the PO to do precisely that. Sure, simply locking this guy up might keep other people safer from him, but it would discourage other parolees from speaking up themselves. By contrast, if parolees can be encouraged to work with their POs to figure ways of minimizing temptation, that might be better for everyone.