Sex offender arrested after found living on property of day care center

A 44-year-old sex offender has been arrested in Greene County for setting up a residence on the property of a day care center, police say.

Parrish Cleary, a level-two sex offender, was arrested July 31st at his RV on the property of the Gingerbread Day Care Center in Palenville.

Cleary had been wanted for failing to register as a sex offender. He was additionally charged with one count of unlawful possession of marijuana after Greene County sheriff's deputies searched the RV.

Deputies say Cleary had been living on the property with his girlfriend, 25-year-old  Cynthia Bartholomew, who was also charged with unlawful possession of marijuana.

Cleary and Bartholomew had been paying the property owners $300 a month for about a year to live on the in the RV and a small camping trailer, which deputies say were located just a few feet from the day care center's fenced-in play area.

The property owners claimed to be unaware of Cleary's status as a sex offender and have not been criminally charged.

Cleary was placed on the state sex offender registry after an Apil 2000 conviction in Ulster County for third-degree sodomy. Under state law, Cleary is required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.

Cleary and Bartholomew were issued appearance tickets for Catskill Town Court.