FAIRPLAY - 9NEWS got a tip from a viewer Thursday about a sex offender working at the Colorado Renaissance Festival. We contacted the organization and found out that yes - a registered sex offender was working for one of the vendors.
According to the Douglas County Sheriff's Office, he did everything right when he moved, he registered and wasn't restricted from having access to children.
That is why 9NEWS is choosing not to name the man or show his picture. The man's criminal record shows a 2001 conviction in Minnesota. His crime was punishable by one year in prison and a fine.
T. R. Rice, an attorney for the festival, told 9NEWS the festival doesn't do background checks and doesn't require vendors to do so.
The Renaissance Festival said it employs about 150 high school and college students to work for 16 days each summer.
It also contracts with 200 vendors who sell arts and crafts. The festival says it didn't do anything wrong, the vendor hired this man and the man was fired as soon as his charges came to light.
Rice says the organization doesn't have plans to change its policy and start checking all employees' backgrounds.
"The children we have out at the festival are routinely accompanied by their parents and they need to be accompanied by their parents," Rice said. "Because we haven't had a problem in 33 years, there isn't a reason to go overboard on this."
The Colorado Bureau of Investigation does background checks for various professions. The agency's spokesperson, Lance Clem, says the legislature has indicated that if a profession comes in regular contact with children, then background checks are required.
Clem said the Renaissance Festival may not be included in that because it deals with a broader age group. Certain child care facilities or organizations dealing with children are required by law to background check their employees.
Water World and Elitch Gardens tell 9NEWS they do so.
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