Child Sex Predator Gave Candy To Trick-Or-Treaters: Police

LAKE COUNTY, IL — A Lake County convicted sex offender has been arrested for allegations he provided candy to trick-or-treaters who stopped at his door Sunday. Child sexual predators are strictly prohibited from "nearly every activity involving children," including participating in doling out candy on Halloween, authorities said.

Margarito Esparza, 71, of the 38200 block of North Sheridan Road in Beach Park, has a prior conviction of aggravated criminal sexual abuse and now has been charged with unlawful participation of a sexual predator during a holiday event involving minors, according to a news release from the Lake County Sheriff's Office.

Police say they spotted two minors approaching Esparza's home on Sunday. They also witnessed Esparza opening his door and giving candy to the children, according to a news release.

Detectives took Esparza into custody following the incident, police said.

According to the Illinois sex offender registry, Esparza was 69 at the time of his crime and the child was 9.

Detectives conduct additional patrols during Halloween trick-or treating and part of their duties is to confirm that registered sexual predators are following state law by not engaging with trick-or-treaters, according to police. The sheriff’s office also sends reminders to offenders within its jurisdiction about this requirement.

“Convicted child sexual predators know they are strictly prohibited from nearly every activity involving children. Our team works tirelessly to ensure the safety of our most vulnerable, and this is another example of their outstanding dedication," Lake County Sheriff John Idleburg said.

Detectives will continue their extra patrols throughout this week’s trick-or-treating in Lake County.

How To Check Where Sex Offenders Live

Before kids go out trick or treating on Halloween, you may want to take an inventory of who is living in your neighborhood. The Illinois Sex Offender Registry shows where sex offenders live in Illinois.

Registered sex offenders are prohibited from passing out candy on Halloween. They may not appear in a Halloween costume or other child-centered holiday character, such as Santa or the Easter Bunny, in public. Registered sex offenders, however, may wear a Halloween costume in their home, according to the Illinois law.

You may want to avoid trick or treating at these houses and apartments on Halloween, or merely be aware of who's living in your neighborhood during the rest of the year.

Law enforcement officials and researchers caution that the registries can play only a limited role in preventing child sexual abuse, and stress that most perpetrators are known to the child.The U.S. Department of Justice, which oversees the National Sex Offender Public Website, estimates that only about 10 percent of perpetrators of child sexual abuse are strangers to the child.

The Justice Department estimates 60 percent of perpetrators are known to the child but are not family members but rather family friends, babysitters, child care providers and others, and 30 percent of child victims are abused by family members. Nearly a quarter of the abusers are under the age of 18, the department estimates.

The Association for the Treatment of Sex Abusers, a nonprofit organization for clinicians, researchers, educators, law enforcement and court officials involved in sexual abuse cases, cautions that children do not face a heightened risk during the Halloween season: "There is no change in the rate of sexual crimes by non-family members during Halloween. That was true both before and after communities enacted laws to restrict the activities of registrants during Halloween. The crimes that do increase around Halloween are vandalism and property destruction, as well as theft, assault, and burglary."