newsday.com/Zachary R. Dowdy

In 1995, Marc F. Gunning was convicted of third-degree sexual abuse but he easily gained the trust and adoration of his Coram neighbors soon after he rented a room from a family in February 1999.  A trained martial artist and hypnotherapist with a master's degree in human development of SUNY Stony Brook, he was trusted to baby sit children and served as a big brother to local youths.  None of the parents knew he was convicted or that he'd strike again, allegedly traumatizing at least six boys, from 8 to 14  years old, until he was arrested again in December 1999.  Gunning, 38, who was indicted on 28 counts of sex crimes, including 21 counts of sodomy, committed suicide in the Riverhead jail in May 2000.  Before that, according to the mother of one of his alleged victims he wrote her a letter admitting and apologizing for the 1999 crimes.  Now, the mother blames state legislators for allowing Gunning to attack again through a loophole in state law that shielded him from being registered as a sex offender.  She learned from law enforcement authorities that Gunning had been convicted of a sexual offense, but she also learned that the crime he was convicted of was not one that would place him in the registry.  She called Laura Ahearn, executive director of Parents for Megan's Law in Stony Brook who clamored for changes.  Two bills are pending in the Senate and Assembly to register people convicted of the exempt crimes.
(New York)

Submitted on: 6/6/01