Sex Offender Arrested for Living Near School

A registered sex-offender was arrested after he was found living in a dilapidated apartment across the street from an elementary school in Thermal, a sheriff’s sergeant said Saturday.

Benito Belmarez, 61, had not registered his address with local police, as required by law, and would not have been allowed to across the street from John Kelly Elementary School, Sgt. Jeronimo Contreras of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department said. He was taken into custody around 1 a.m. Friday in a condemned apartment located in the 87000 block of Center Street

Belmarez was a parolee at large and was out of compliance with his registration requirements since 2005, Contreras said. Enforcement officers with the Southern Coachella Valley Communities Services District Team and the Riverside County Code Enforcement found him living in the dilapidated unit.

Belmarez had served time in state prison after being convicted twice for lewd acts with a child under 14. he was booked for his parole violation and five counts of sex-offender registration, Contreras said.