Weymouth sex offender summonsed to court over alleged library visit

QUINCY, Mass. — A convicted child rapist living in Weymouth has been summoned to court in Quincy, just a week after he was released from prison.

The Weymouth community is clearly upset Richard Gardner, a convicted child rapist, returned home after serving his prison sentence. Last week, someone threw a rock through the front window of his family's home.

"There's over a hundred kids in this neighborhood and they let him out to be here," Weymouth resident Karen Duffy said. "I'm picking my neighbors' kids up at bus stops because nobody wants to let their kids walk home."

Over the weekend, Gardner reportedly went into the Thomas Crane Public Library, which is illegal. According to Quincy city ordinances, registered sex offenders are prohibited from entering schools, libraries or day cares unless previously authorized.

Nearly 30 years ago, Gardner was convicted in two states of kidnapping and raping children as young as 6-years-old.

Rhode Island sentenced him to 190 years in prison. Some thought he would never walk free again. But he's now back home in Massachusetts after serving far less time.

Gardner’s crimes were brutal and have haunted the Weymouth community for decades.

Gardner was 21 when he kidnapped young children so he could sexually assault and rape them, prosecutors said. In one case, he was convicted of tying a boy to a tree in Wompatuck State Park in Hingam.

Now that he is back in the community, a petition has been filed for tighter tracking on level three sex offenders.

"We want level three sex offenders on GPS tracking," mother Coreen Aikens said. "Nobody knew who this guy was. He was waving to neighbors, waved to her while she was walking her dog."

Over the weekend, Gardner tried checking into a Father Bill's shelter in Quincy, but officials say level three sex offenders can't stay there because the high school is right across the street.

Then, Quincy police say a librarian called officers, telling them Gardner was in the library.

The Plymouth County District Attorney's Office handled Gardner's cases in Mass. A spokesperson told FOX25 they are reviewing his case, including how much time he served and what programming he received while in custody.

He has been summoned to court in Quincy and is not considered wanted.

Cox Media Group