Islanders living near Vashon town were recently notified by mail that a convicted sex offender had moved to their neighborhood.

The offender, a 21-year-old man, was convicted of attempted rape when he was 16, after he  sexual assaulted a 17-year-old girl he knew.

Sgt. John Urquhart, a spokesman for the King County Sheriff’s Office, said the sex offender has actually lived on Vashon with his father for some time. However, since his father had guns in his home, the offender was required to move out, and he recently registered with the county’s sex offender unit as homeless. 

His relocation prompted a notification of those within a quarter-mile radius of the intersection of Vashon Highway and Bank Road, Urquhart said. 

The offender was previously ranked by the county to be a level-one, or low-risk sex offender. However, his homeless status resulted in a level-two, or moderate-risk, ranking. Though he is the only convicted level-two or level-three sex offender currently living on Vashon, Urquhart said Islanders have no reason for concern. 

“Rarely do we get cases involving a registered sex offender reoffending,” he said. “You should always be aware, but if you really want to protect your child, don’t worry about the known sex offenders. Worry about the ones you don’t know about who may have access to your children.”