Unhoused sex offender back in S.F. Richmond
An unhoused sex offender who antagonized San Francisco’s Inner Richmond for months with signs advertising free fentanyl is back in the neighborhood, raising fresh concerns about his presence in a local playground.
On Wednesday morning, Joseph Adam Moore sat on a bench in Argonne Playground spreading out solar panels about 25 yards away from a swing set where a group of toddlers played with their caretakers.
His presence at the playground for several weeks has prompted at least one complaint to Supervisor Connie Chan, who represents the district, according to emails reviewed by the Chronicle.
Moore was convicted of a public nuisance charge late last year after posting handmade signs advertising meth and fentanyl at his encampment near a Richmond District elementary school. He was already a registered sex offender, with Santa Cruz County court records showing he was convicted of lewd acts with a minor under 14 in 1997.
In an interview Wednesday, Moore said he comes to the playground to charge his devices and hang out in the sunshine “reading papers on string theory and the geometry of outer space.”
He said he is homeless and does not want to abandon his daily routine in the Richmond District.
“I am here because I was pushed here,” Moore said, citing his status as a sex offender as the reason he cannot reside in Santa Cruz.
Under California law, registered sex offenders are subject to restrictions on their place of residence on a case-by-case basis, but are generally not allowed to live near parks, schools or other locations where children gather, according to the Legal Information Institute at Cornell Law School.
The exact restrictions placed on Moore weren’t clear Wednesday, but previous reports indicated he may not be deemed a high-risk offender barred from school areas.
After his December conviction for creating a public nuisance, Moore said he spent time in jail and was released in early March.
Spokespersons at the district attorney’s office could not immediately confirm the length of his sentence.
Robyn Burke, one of Chan’s legislative aides, said the supervisor’s office was working with the Richmond District police station to address concerns about Moore.
“We are in close contact with Capt. (Chris) Canning who is monitoring the situation,” Burke told the Chronicle.
Shortly before noon, two city park rangers drove up to the playground.
One, officer Robert Ramey, went over to Moore to offer him medical services at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, where the nonprofit Project Homeless Connect was running a free clinic. The rangers said Moore did not appear to be bothering anyone or violating any park rules.
After the rangers drove away, Moore continued charging his devices in the sun.