James Bryant (source: Sex offenders list)
Feb. 4, 2015 Staff Report
A convicted child molester who sexually assaulted a 7-year-old girl is now living at the Westway Hotel, a homeless shelter located on Astoria Blvd.
The Daily News reports that James Bryant, who had been housed in a shelter in the Bronx, has been moved to the Westway Hotel.
Bryant, 49, was released from prison last year after spending 10 years behind bars for the 2003 aggressive assault in Texas, the Daily News reports. He is also listed by the state as a level-two sex offender.
“It is abhorrent to have a registered sex offender, who was convicted of a heinous crime . . . living in our community at a facility meant to serve women and children,” Assemblywoman Aravella Simotas told the Daily News.
“This is either a complete lack of oversight or a willful attempt to pull the wool over our eyes by quietly shifting this danger from one community to the next,” Simotas said.
The city Department of Homeless Services has been housing 121 families at Westway since July on a temporary basis.
However, Homeless Service aims to turn Westway into a permanent shelter.
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11 Comments
yikes my dad’s name is james Bryant also! but not the same guy. and my dad isn’t a child molester
Where is this peaceful protest
In front of westway. Saturday. 10am
They need to put the shelter in the old Holiday Inn (LaGuardia Airport Hotel) next to the Marriott on Ditmars Blvd.
how many sex offenders and ex convicts live outside of that shelter in astoria. You all are setting up this homeless shelter because you believe our neighborhood is to good to help these homeless children and women
do you and your young children live near the shelter?
You are so naive. You think anyone is helping these people. Dept of homeless services couldn’t care less where they put them, as long as they put them somewhere. Westway just likes to collect money. They can’t do business any way else so they resort to taking advantage of people and city programs. They get 3000 a month per room that has sometimes 6 people living in a tiny room. For that money you can get these struggling moms a real apt or a house and really give them a chance at success. Don’t be so dumb. All this, is for money at the expense of our community
Hey…..Braindead……
If you’re OK ……with a SEX OFFENDER …..then he can stay at YOUR house…….NOT IN OUR COMMUNITY !!!
Your response……NONSENSE !!!
Peabrain…..I hope you don’t have any children.
Peaceful protest this Saturday February 7 2015 at 10am. Expect a big crowd. If you love your community then come down and show everyone what you stand for!!!!
Now you see why local residents were furious about the shelter being there. The city said it was just helping out poor families but long time NYC residents know that you can’t believe a word they say
This should end well. How they re-located this offender with a violent past into a shelter originally meant for women with children is mind boggling. When does it stop?