A convicted Megan’s Law offender who allegedly failed to register his address for a second time this year will remain in the Atlantic County Justice Facility.
Kenneth James Hermansen, 41, told the judge he had been living with his wife in Somers Point for the past six months.
But he never registered at that Sea Aire Apartments address, according to the latest charge that led to his arrest Dec. 1.
It was his second arrest this year for changing his address, but not registering it with local police, which is required within 10 days under Megan's Law.
The online registry lists Hermansen as living at 441 N. Harrisburg Ave. in Atlantic City.
But when he was arrested in August, he was living at 607 N. Indiana Ave., according to charges filed at that time.
That is less than 400 feet from a public park, which is not allowed under Megan's Law.
“I'm not a flight risk," Hermansen insisted to Judge Rodney Cunningham. "I was there the whole time in Somers Point, New Jersey. I've been there the whole time, and that's where I'm going to go."
He gave several reasons for moving to the apartment with his wife, including that she has sleep apnea — which he called "sleep apathy" — and that the parole house he had been assigned to was unsafe.
"I have a right not to be at a place where they steal my stuff," he said.
But he did not explain why he didn't notify Somers Point police of his most recent move.
After Hermansen finished his animated argument, the judge said his decision to detain was unchanged.
Hermansen's Megan's Law status stems from a 2001 case out of Egg Harbor Township, where he was accused of sexually assaulting a girl who was at least 13 but younger than 16 when he was 21.
He was sentenced to 10 years in prison in May 2002, and paroled after serving about six years.
But a parole violation led to him ending up back in prison five months later. He then maxed out Dec. 18, 2008.
Hermansen's criminal history includes several failures to comply with community supervision for life. He has had 25 arrests, including 18 for felonies, according to the state.
Those arrests included a 2016 burglary charge out of Mercer County, along with at least one charge out of Camden County, court records show.
He also was sentenced for failure to register in October of last year, and did 116 days in the Atlantic County jail.
Hermansen told the judge he would appeal the decision to detain him on the most recent charge.
