SCATCHET HEAD — A standing-room-only crowd heard a serious warning Wednesday about one of their new neighbors who moved into this quiet South End community last month.

Surprisingly, the warning came from members of his family.

“I don’t trust him,” said John Adkison, the son of Kruger Adkison, a 61-year-old who has been convicted of sex crimes against children in two states.

“And neither should you,” Alicia Curfman, Adkison’s niece, told the crowd.

John Adkison said his father was not violent. But he added that his father’s crimes had devastated their family.

“In both cases he was left alone with the girls he molested far too often and for too long. We are here tonight to humanize him, to answer questions and to emphasize there is a difference between trust and forgiveness.”

Curfman noted that his family are victims, too.

“These offenses were atrocious and we have to live with it,” she said.

Island County Sheriff Mark Brown had called the meeting for local residents because state law authorizes the sheriff to tell neighbors that a potentially dangerous person is living in their neighborhood.

Brown said Adkison reports to a federal parole officer in Everett on a regular basis. He stressed that Adkison is not wanted for any crimes and the sheriff had no control over where he was placed.

“I’m not here to create a climate of hatred, blame other agencies or incite vigilante action,” Brown said. “I’m here to ask for your help to watch out for this man, to be vigilant and know where your children are at all times.”

Adkison has been convicted of multiple crimes.

In 1991, he was convicted of first-degree child molestation involving an 8-year-old female relative in Oak Harbor.

After his conviction in Washington, he moved to Alabama in 1995.

In 2001, he was convicted in Alabama of first-degree sexual abuse with a different female relative, who was 10.

During the investigation of the Alabama crimes, Adkison was discovered with a firearm and was subsequently convicted under federal law as a felon in possession of a firearm. His family said he had been caught with a World War II-era heirloom rifle that was used for hunting.

During the same investigation it was discovered that Adkison had failed to register as a sex offender.

He served a total of eight years in prison.

Adkison is under federal probation supervision for the firearm conviction until 2011, and his Alabama sex crime convictions until 2010.

He was released from a halfway house on May 24 to his own home in the 7900 block of Maple Point Road on house arrest due to medical conditions. He has had two heart attacks.

Adkison lives there with his wife; they will celebrate their 40th anniversary on Sunday.

Both Brown and federal parole officer Steve Grigoryk said a stable home environment is important.

“I’ve been supervising Level III people for eight years and stability goes a long way to prevent re-offending,” Grigoryk said.

“In this case, it appears the family is loving, though they have concerns and the community has been made aware of the situation,” he said.

Grigoryk said most of the problem offenders are those with no family support.

“Also, this was an incest case and the record doesn’t indicate a danger to strangers,” he added. “Is this man motivated to do the right thing? Only time will tell.”

The motivation is there, according to his family.

“It isn’t our, or his, desire for him to ever be around children,” Curfman said. “He will not jeopardize his freedom in any way and he doesn’t want to go back to prison.”

Adkison’s son asked people to be realistic.

“If you see my father and his wife walking the neighborhood, don’t be concerned,” he said. “Alone? Watch him carefully and contact 911 or the sheriff if there’s any questions in your mind.”

Most of the people attending the meeting at the Scatchet Head community center, some with children in tow, raised safety concerns. Several wanted to know under what circumstances they should call in to 911.

After explaining the restrictions on Adkison, Brown said he has a detective assigned full time to check on the 80 sex offenders living in the county. But the best way to guarantee Adkison lives up to his parole restrictions is for the community to be aware, Brown said.

He added that with only 54 officers to cover the entire county, a full-time regular police presence was unlikely.

“Knowledge is power and the more you know, the better,” Brown said. “Clearly, this community has shown it cares.”

After the meeting, a half dozen people came up to thank Adkison and Curfman for their courage in appearing.

It wasn’t easy, Adkison said later.

“My heart was racing,” he said. “I felt for those folks and their concerns and I was worried how they would react. The family has been working a long time to find a way to forgive my father these awful crimes.

“It’s been very hard.”