Level 3 Sex Offender Talks About Sleepovers

OMAHA, Neb. -- A registered Level 3 sex offender is holding sleepovers with teenage boys in his home, KETV NewsWatch 7 has learned.

Law enforcement officials said Steve Freeman may not be doing anything illegal, but at least one parent is concerned.

Freeman has been convicted of six counts of sexual assault against children. His offenses took place in Colorado 20 to 25 years ago. Freeman said the offenses, for which he served 16 years, were misunderstandings.

"I caught the 9-year-old smoking one of my cigarettes, so I pulled his britches down and I spanked his bare bottom," Freeman said. "He was almost done crying, and I was rubbing his cheeks to help soothe the pain. Well, his older brother walked in on us and seen me rubbing his butt."

In the past few months, Freeman befriended a teenage boy while fishing. He said the teen had problems at home, so Freeman invited the boy to move in with him.

"He called me grandpa. He was my grandson and everything. I'd been taking care of him for five months. Well, during that five months, him being here alone, I'd let his friends come over on the weekends," Freeman said.

Freeman said nothing sexual or illegal is happening.

"The one boy that lived with me for five months, I just put his bed in my bedroom. He slept in that bed. I slept in this bed. His friends would come over, and we'd drag out the sleeping bags," Freeman said. "I have no desire to have little boys in bed with me or anything like that. My name's not Michael Jackson."

Parent Becky Vaca said she is shocked and concerned. Her son is friends with the boy living with Freeman, and that's how she came across the sex offender. She said that Freeman asked if her son could sleep over, and that's when she found his name on Nebraska's Sex Offender Registry.

"I just don't think it's right, regardless. But to find out he's a sex offender -- it's 10 times more shocking, and it's just not right," Vaca said.

Douglas County Deputy Tom Walter isn't in charge of Freeman's case, but according to him, Freeman may be not be doing anything illegal.

"With the registry, the registry does not restrict them from living location, nor does it restrict their association with children," Walter said.

Vaca filed a harassment complaint with the Omaha Police Department. Freeman said he hasn't been arrested since he moved to Omaha when he was released from prison, and said people who only know him by the registry don't really know him.

"I think people who look up this bull on the Internet, instead of spreading rumors, or calling police, maybe you should go and talk to that person first, get to know them before making any judgmental decisions," Freeman said.

The Omaha Police Department confirmed that Vaca filed a harassment report against Freeman, but it's unclear whether an investigator has been assigned to the case.