‘Halfway house’ draws protests from Ontario neighbors

Ontario residents are protesting the "halfway house" that popped up in their neighborhood.

ONTARIO, Calif. - Ontario police began to notice a puzzling pattern when they saw eight convicted sexual predators all registered under the same address in the area.

While that doesn't necessarily mean that all eight of the convicted residents live there at the same time, police say they had to follow up on some calls. Police also say they couldn't find a business license for the home off East La Avenida Drive.

Residents are accusing the controversial home of operating like a "halfway house," drawing protests from upset neighbors. On Thursday, a loud contingent of neighbors marched to the house. No one came to the door.

According to the homeowner's attorney, Garrett Prybylo, the home is a registered non-profit, and has never housed more than eight people. Though, the attorney said, when police inspected the home, there were four people living there.

Residents outraged about 'halfway house'

Ontario residents are protesting the "halfway house" that popped up in their neighborhood.

Prybylo said there are now two people living at the home, and neither is a sex offender. Prybylo said that a sex offender who'd lived at the home was placed there through an organization called Telecare, which has multiple programs throughout the U.S., and receives state and federal funding.

Prybylo said that in order for a sex offender to be placed through Telecare, they first have to be approved by their parole officer. He added that he wasn't sure what happened with the individual who'd lived there, but said the home would no longer accept residents from Telecare moving forward.

The Ontario Police Department said they are doing site checks and are looking to find out exactly what the situation is.