HOUSTON -- More than half the ZIP codes in Houston are home to convicted sex offenders. But when the Troubleshooters began crunching the numbers, they found two ZIP codes have more sex offenders living in neighborhoods than any other spots in Houston.

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State records show both ZIP codes are just outside of downtown on the northeast side. 77026 has 125 sex offenders and ZIP code 77093 has 103.

The Troubleshooters quickly noticed most of the sex offenders in these neighborhoods are living in makeshift boarding homes and small, privately run halfway houses. But one place in particular caught the station's eye -- the Serenity House on Gregg Street near Liberty.

State records show six convicted child molesters live in this home, which is in the middle of a neighborhood filled with children, not all of whom are lucky enough to walk home under the protective hand of their parents.

Local 2's Robert Arnold read the residents' convictions to neighbors, "Aggravated sexual assault of a child, indecency with a child, 11 years old."

"Eleven years old -- oh, my God, my son is 10," parent Tamesha Ike said.

Parents like Ike had no idea that many sex offenders were living right in the middle of their neighborhood.

"We got all these kids playing right in this area and then we got all these sexual offenders right here. I don't understand," Ike said.

One thing the Troubleshooters did not understand is why half-a-dozen sex offenders were living right across from the Phoenix Outreach Youth Center. The center has after-school programs for a small group of kids, with plans to expand to all-day programs this summer.

"We're dealing with anger, fear -- just a lot of things on our mind when we're over here trying to work with the children," said Jarvis Johnson of Phoenix Outreach Program

Local 2 wanted to talk with the woman who runs Serenity House. But before they got our first question out, the station was stopped.

"I would appreciate it, there's no trespassing on this property. I would appreciate it if you would not come on my property," she said.

She wouldn't answer the station's questions, only saying the state's records are wrong. She said she caters to homeless people and recovering addicts.

"So, you're not going to answer any questions at all?" Arnold asked.

"No, sir. If you have any questions, get them answered by the people who sent you here," the woman said.

"Nobody sent us here. It's the paperwork from the state. You say the state is wrong, yet you won't answer any questions," Arnold said.

"You know what's happening now? You're moving innocent men," she said.

Less than 24 hours after Local 2 called the state asking about the home, parole officers moved all six men out of the neighborhood and into a licensed halfway house across town.

"I certainly appreciate the job you guys are doing, Channel 2 coming out and making these pedophiles move away from the children," Johnson said.

But that neighborhood is not the only one dealing with groups of sex offenders. Local 2 found one reason so many congregated in the two ZIP codes was because it's easy for them blend into areas with high crime.

"They want to hang out where we have a lot of drugs and prostitution. They just hide in the mix," said Carol Mimms-Galloway, a Houston City Council member.

But Mimms-Galloway said there's nothing the city can do about these groupings as long as the sex offenders are not violating any conditions of their release.

"I hope the legislators can look at this and have some type of law implemented where only so many pedophiles can live in one ZIP code," Mimms-Galloway said.

Legislators did take a look at the problem. A bill was drafted this session that would prevent sex offenders from living together in homes or apartment complexes. But the bill got stuck in sub-committee hearings and never made it out.

There is another ZIP code with more sex offenders than the two mentioned in Local 2's report. That ZIP code is home to a licensed treatment facility and halfway house, and it is not in the middle of a neighborhood, the station reported.

More Information:

Sex Offenders Listed By Houston ZIP Codes (May 2005)
Requires Free Adobe Acrobat Reader
Texas DPS: Search Texas Sex Offender Database
PublicData.com: Nationwide Sex Offender Search
Crime Stoppers: Houston's Top 10 Sex Offenders