Dover – Tomorrow night, as children and families celebrate Halloween in neighborhoods across Delaware, registered sex offenders under the supervision of probation officers are being ordered to stay off the streets, the Department of Correction announced today.

On Halloween night each year, the Department of Correction (DOC) imposes special restrictions on all high risk sex offenders and sex offenders with child victims who are under the supervision of the DOC’s Bureau of Community Corrections. These restrictions require designated offenders to remain inside their home with outside lights turned off beginning at 6:00 p.m. and prohibit them from distributing candy, participating in Halloween-related activities, or displaying Halloween decorations. Moreover, designated homeless sex offenders under Department of Correction supervision will be required to report to a Probation and Parole Office or other location in their county at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, where they will remain until 9:00 p.m.

“The Department of Correction is taking reasonable precautions to ensure that children and families enjoy a safe trick-or-treating experience,” Commissioner Robert Coupe said today. “Probation officers will be on patrol in our communities to verify that sex offenders under our supervision are following the restrictions on their movement and activities on Halloween night.”

To ensure compliance with these restrictions, teams of Probation and Parole officers will be out on the streets in each county Saturday night to conduct residence checks at the homes of designated sex offenders. On Halloween night last year Probation Officers made 347 residence visits and took 5 offenders into custody for violating the terms of their probation.

The DOC’s Bureau of Community Corrections provides community-based supervision, programs and treatment services to approximately 16,000 adult offenders in Delaware. In addition, 18 probation officers statewide are assigned full-time to specialized local crime-fighting task forces, including Governor’s Task Force and Safe Streets patrols in designated communities, and DEA, FBI, and US Marshalls task forces. In addition, a half-dozen probation officers are assigned to the DOC’s pre-trial services unit, which supervises more than 500 defendants facing trial who have been ordered by the Court to be supervised as a condition of bail.

Daniel Simmons, 35, of Pike Creek, pled guilty to one count of fourth degree rape in New Castle County Superior Court this morning. The plea, secured by Deputy Attorney General Peggy Marshall, resolves a case charging Simmons with raping a teenage boy.

Simmons was arrested May 2, 2014 and immediately placed on administrative leave. He resigned from his position three days later.

As a result of the plea, Simmons faces up to 15 years in prison, will be required to register as a Tier II sex offender, and can have no contact with his victim.

The victim’s family said in a statement they are satisfied with the resolution. “We are happy to have avoided a public trial. We want him held accountable, and don’t want him to hurt anyone else.”

Simmons will be sentenced June 16, 2015.

Eric Bodenweiser, 56, of Georgetown, pled no contest to two counts of third degree unlawful sexual contact in Sussex County Superior Court this morning. The plea, secured by Deputy Attorneys General David Hume and John Donahue, resolves a case that previously resulted in a hung jury in June, 2014.

As a result of the plea, Mr. Bodenweiser is classified as a sex offender. Sentencing is currently scheduled to take place May 22, 2015.

The victim in the case said, “I’m glad that this has finally come to an end and I can finally move forward and get on with my life.”

Dover – Registered sex offenders on probation in Delaware are being kept off the streets this Halloween in the interest of public safety as a condition of their supervision by the Department of Correction, Commissioner Robert M. Coupe announced today.

Each year on Halloween night, the Department of Correction imposes special conditions on all high risk sex offenders and sex offenders with child victims who are under the supervision of Probation and Parole, requiring them to remain inside their home with outside lights turned off beginning at 6 p.m. Friday.

“Probation and Parole Officers will be out on the streets on Halloween night to help ensure that sex offenders on probation keep a safe distance from children and to provide an extra measure of protection to parents and kids who are out trick-or-treating,” Commissioner Coupe said.

In addition to requiring these designated offenders to remain inside their home, they are also prohibited from distributing candy, participating in Halloween-related activities, or displaying Halloween decorations. Designated homeless sex offenders under the supervision of Probation and Parole are required to report to the Probation and Parole Office in their county at 5:30 p.m., where they will remain until 9:00 p.m.

Teams of Probation and Parole officers will be out on the streets in each county tomorrow night conducting residence checks at the homes of designated sex offenders to ensure that they comply with these special Halloween conditions. Last year, teams of probation officers made more than 430 residence visits on Halloween night, and those checks resulted in 6 offenders being taken into custody for violating the terms of their probation.

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