Convicted child molester sets up camp across SF school with 'free fentanyl' sign

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- ABC7 News I-Team reporter Dan Noyes asked Adam Moore, "Were you giving away fentanyl? Was that just a joke?" He answered, "No, it's not a joke."

UPDATE: Convicted child molester displaying 'free fentanyl' sign across SF school arrested then released

Moore is a convicted sex offender who set up camp across the street from a Catholic grade school in San Francisco's Richmond District more than two years ago, but it was his signs offering free drugs that had authorities moving him out on Thursday. We saw the headline in the San Francisco Standard and had to go see for ourselves, and things got heated -- a parent from the school apparently punching Moore in the face.

Adam Moore says, "I've been homeless in San Francisco for basically 26 years."

The 46-year-old Adam Moore tells us he has lived on the sidewalk across the street from Stella Maris Academy for more than two years, and that his sign offering "free fentanyl for new users" is no joke. Moore says he's just passing on the drugs that other people give him, in exchange for blankets and supplies he provides.

Moore: "So they bring me trash that they've scavenged, things that they think are valuable, or they give me some of the drugs that they have, which I don't do."

Noyes: "You're exposing grade school kids to this? This is not right. You know that?"

Moore: "No, no, it's shallow."

Noyes: "I mean, the kids, the kids come out of the school and they see this."

Moore: "Yeah, I only live by two rules: be kind to others and make it look easy for children."

MORE: Here are reasons why San Francisco has a hard time convicting drug dealers

The Richmond District police captain told us they recently tried an undercover sting on Moore but he didn't have any drugs at the time. However, it's his past that's led to some concerns. Moore is on the Megan's Law website for "lewd and lascivious acts with a child under the age of 14." Moore claims, "I was innocent of all of the charges that I've been accused of convicted of."

Moore is apparently not considered a "high risk" offender, so he does not have to follow the rule to stay 2,000 feet away from any school.

SFPD Captain Chris Canning explains, "I was told that he is in compliance with all the components of what his sex registration are."

But, Canning says under new guidance, officers are allowed to enforce rules against camping on sidewalks, and that's what they did Thursday. The I-Team was there as Moore declined an offer of shelter. His answer? "I will never voluntarily incarcerate myself."

MORE: Fentanyl seized by CHP in SF's Tenderloin enough to potentially kill 2.1M people, ABC7 News learns

More officers arrived, along with a homeless outreach team from Healthy Streets Operations Center. They took away bikes and other items that Moore willingly gave up, allowed him to keep an electric bike and other personal items. As we left, the team hoped Moore would willingly move on. That would be a relief for parents at the school and those living nearby.

Jon Chintanaroad, neighbor: "I'm also concerned my wife walks our baby around by herself. I always kind of want to be there because you never know. And it just sucks to always kind of have that sense of like, extra vigilance. In a neighborhood that's supposed to be quiet and residential, right?"

Moore did get a ticket Thursday for misdemeanor battery in an altercation with a parent from the school. He, in turn, filed a complaint of assault against that father.

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