Level 3 sex offender moves to rural Edgerton


A Level 3 sex offender named Jesse Martin Bendickson, 35, moved to rural Edgerton in the vicinity of 41st Street and 160th Avenue at the end of July.
Bendickson has a history of sexual contact with 15-to-16 year old female victims who knew him, according to information released by the Pipestone County Sheriff’s Office.
Pipestone County Sheriff Keith Vreeman said there are around 20 Level 1 or Level 2 predatory offenders living in Pipestone, but Bendickson is the first Level 3 offender to live in the county in about 20 years.
The levels assigned to predatory offenders are based on a risk assessment score determined by an end-of-confinement review committee prior to their release from either a correctional or treatment facility. The level 3 score, the highest, is given to those who are considered the most likely to reoffend.
Vreeman said he spoke with Bendickson “for quite some time” and didn’t perceive that he was a threat to the public. He’s hoping Bendickson will move on with his life and that the community will allow him to do so.
“I want to keep everybody safe, but if this guy has served his time and is trying to move on we don’t want him harassed,” Vreeman said.
The Minnesota Department of Corrections (DOC) provides a report of those risk assessments to local law enforcement when a predatory offender moves to an area. State statute provides guidelines for what local law enforcement does with that information based on the risk level of the offender.
For Level 1 offenders, law enforcement may maintain information about the offender and share it with other law enforcement agencies and individuals directly connected or related to the offender or their crime. For Level 2 offenders, law enforcement may also disclose the information to schools, daycares, organizations that primarily serve people likely to be victimized by the offender, and individuals it believes are likely to be victimized by the offender based on their previous offenses.
For a Level 3 offender, law enforcement may also provide the information to the general public in the interest of public safety.
The DOC provides a database of information about predatory offenders that has been released by law enforcement at coms.doc.state.mn.us/publicregistrantsearch. There are 388 people statewide who are on the list.
Vreeman said the Sheriff’s Office keeps track of information about all predatory offenders living in the county, including where they work and what vehicles they drive, and makes random stops at their residences. Offenders are required to notify law enforcement of any changes in address or contact information.
If anyone has questions or concerns they can call the Sheriff’s Office at 825-1100.