Mastic residents protest against sex offender operating ‘sober house’

Residents in a Mastic community say they are rallying together after learning that a Level 3 sex offender may be operating a boarding home for women in the area.
Police say they arrested 53-year-old Adrian Thomas, a Level 3 sex offender, for not reporting his correct address to authorities, which is required by New York state law. They say he registered himself as homeless, but was actually living at 2 Lee Place in Mastic.
Thomas was convicted in 2016 of raping a woman and served a year in jail.
Authorities say Thomas was also operating a woman's "boarding home" or "sober home" out of the house.
“Our very deep concern is that we were receiving reports from the community that this registrant owns or operates some type of home where vulnerable women could be residing,” says Laura Ahearn, the executive director of Parents for Megan's Law.
Ahearn says she was disturbed to find out there are no laws in New York state against sex offenders operating woman's boarding homes.
It's also got the attention of Suffolk Legislator Kate Browning who has been keeping a file on the home, as well as neighbor complaints.
Neighbors in the area say they are so concerned about what's going on with the house that they are rallying together hoping to make a change.
One Mastic resident says that police are called all the time and she is always wondering what's going on and whether it is it safe to go outside.
A neighbor took a video in June of a woman living inside the home smashing a car window in the driveway.
After receiving the complaints last month, Legislator Browning sponsored a measure that would stop passing along state payments to sober home operators who are registered sex offenders like Thomas.
Thomas was arraigned Thursday. Police say he has a long rap sheet, including nine prior convictions.