VICTIM STRIKES BACK (After finding his address in registry, woman points cops to the man she says flashed her and a pal)

A 20 year old West Babylon woman helped capture a sicko flasher this week when she used the state's sex-offender database to identify the convicted pervert and the hunted him down at his home.  The woman went online to the New York State Sex Offender Registry, typed in her zip code and spotted his picture.  On Tuesday, she drove with her father past the North Babylon residence of Patrick Oliveri, 39, recognized him again and called police.  They arrested him soon after.  Oliveri, of 214 Montgomery Avenue, was charged with public lewdness and was being held on $500 bail.  He was convicted of sexual abuse in 1992.  

Laura Ahearn, executive director of Parents for Megan's Law, said it was the first time she had heard of a young victim using the registry to identify a suspect.  That was really quick thinking, Ahearn said.  I think that the amount of information that's gone out to the community about all the resources that are available are finally paying off.

HOW TO SEARCH FOR AN OFFENDER

Residents wondering whether they live near a sex offender can log on to the state's Division of Criminal Justice Services Web site and search with their county or zip code through the state's Sex Offender Registry.  The online registry, which is linked at criminal-justice.state.ny.us/nsor, allows people to search for level two and three offenders.  Ahearn said her organization's Web site has a registry that also lists level one offenders.  The advocacy group also has an e-mail program that alerts subscribers whenever a level two or three sex offender registers or changes his or her address.  Its Web site is parentsformeganslaw.com.  A sex offender's level is the court-determined risk of re-offense.  A level one offender is considered at low risk of repeat offense, a level two of moderate risk of re-offense, and level three a high risk and threat to public safety.  The court also determines how long an offender should stay on the registry.  A level two, such as Oliveri, is required to be registered for life.

(New York)