The City of Saint Paul has issued a Level III Predatory Offender Notification, informing the public that three individuals with histories of sexual offenses have recently moved within city limits. Edward Wilson, registered to live in the vicinity of W. Acker St., has a record involving sexual misconduct with female children and a teenager, manipulating his relationships of trust, according to a government notice shared on January 9th, 2026.
Receiving this notice, which comes with community notification provisions, may be unsettling, but the police emphasize that it aims to raise awareness rather than instill fear. Under Minnesota Statutes 244.052 and 253D, the St. Paul Police Department asserts that sharing this information can enhance public safety and protection. While this effort to keep the community informed is well-intended, holding onto a letter required to inform tenants on time by a property owner might find it disturbing.
Alongside Wilson, James Carroll Watkins has moved to the 1300 block of Reaney Ave., and Roderick James Emery has registered on the 600 block of Greenbrier St. Watkins was convicted for an attempted sexual assault in 1990 using a weapon to gain control over an adult female victim, while Emery was an accomplice in a sexual assault involving force and threats of violence, as per the official notification.
The offenders listed are not currently wanted by law enforcement. The authorities have cautioned against the potential misuse of this information for threatening, harassing, or intimidating these individuals, reiterating that such actions could be charged as crimes and may hinder the police's capacity to make community notifications. After paying their court-mandated dues, offenders like these are transitioned back into the community, carrying along a history that neither they nor the residents who must receive them, might ever be able to fully set aside.
Resources for personal safety and education on this matter are provided through various websites like the DOC level 3 website and the Jacob Wetterling Resource Center. The St. Paul Police Department, while unable to direct the movements of released individuals, continues to encourage the public to maintain vigilance and a nuanced understanding of the balance between awareness and unnecessary fear. Further inquiries can be directed to their officers, as identified in the notification.
