Sex offender sentenced for failing to register

9/16/2008

A former St. Joan of Arc employee convicted of failing to register as a sex offender was sentenced yesterday in Lucas County Common Pleas Court to five years community control, including four months in the Corrections Center of Northwest Ohio.

William Werner, 65, of 1615 Western Ave., pleaded guilty to the charge in July. Judge Gene Zmuda also required that Werner have no unsupervised contact with children, complete a sex offender program, and undergo any required mental health treatment.

Werner was convicted in 1989 in California of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor. Since moving to Ohio in 1999, he has failed to register as a sex offender.

Werner was a custodian at the Catholic parish on Heatherdowns Boulevard for five years and temporarily filled in for a custodian at the St. Joan of Arc parish school. He was fired from the school prior to the Toledo Catholic Diocese finding out about his classification as a sex offender.

Attorney Jack Viren said Werner also volunteered with senior citizens and was employed at a local synagogue since moving to Ohio. He added that local officials learned of his requirement to register from California officials who were following up on sex offenders.