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SOUTH BEND, Ind. — REAL News Michiana has learned the Motels4Now homeless shelter program has added another out-of-state sex offender resident, this comes despite backlash from the community for illegally housing multiple sex offenders well within 1,000 feet or a school and daycare. According to the Indiana Sex Offender Registry, 55-year-old Ronnie Horston is the latest sex offender to call Motels4Now home. Horston was convicted in Michigan of Criminal Sexual Misconduct with an incapacitated person. There are currently six registered sex offenders living at the facility, as one sex offender has recently moved out and is currently listed as “Homeless.” Another registered sex offender works there.
According to a simple satellite search, the Motels4Now property located at at old Knights Inn at 3233 Lincoln Way West in South Bend is within 500 feet of the Raising Kings and Queens Daycare Ministry. It is also within 650 feet of St. John the Baptist Catholic School.
The City of South Bend is working with Our Lady of the Road (the charity that operates the Motels4Now program) to expand the Motels4Now program to a piece of property off of Bendix Drive in the Northwest part of town. Earlier this year, South Bend’s Executive Director of Community Development claimed the new facility wouldn’t house any sex offenders because it would be within 1,000 feet of a public park. However, the program is already violating the law by housing sex offenders at the current location. It’s important to note, the City already purchased the current Motels4Now land and gave it to Our Lady of the Road, facilitating the current illegal housing of sex offenders.
According to Indiana Code, a Sexually Violent Predator or Sex Offender who has committed crimes against children cannot live within 1,000 feet of a school, daycare, youth center or park.
It also appears the “low-barrier” program is attracting out-of-town rapists interested in receiving services. According to the Indiana Sex Offender Registry, one sex offender is from Allen County, two are from Michigan and two are from Elkhart County. Two of the sex offender residents at Motels4Now are from St. Joseph County. REAL News Michiana has put together a photo gallery of all of the sex offenders, the sex crimes they were convicted of and where their conviction occurred.
(*Note* Robert Riege, who is pictured below, is no longer living at Motels4Now and is currently listed as “Homeless” on the sex offender registry. He was last living at Motels4Now as recently as February.)
One of the latest sex offender residents of Motels4Now is 41-year-old Rusty Joe Sakshaug. Sakshaug has done two stints in prison for sex crimes. He was most recently released from prison for Criminal Sexual Conduct in 2022 and, prior to moving to South Bend, was living in Mount Pleasant, Michigan — more than a three hour drive from South Bend. It’s unclear why he moved to South Bend, however, many critics believe the Motels4Now facility is attracting out-of-town homeless criminals seeking services and shelter.
SOUTH BEND CITY OFFICIALS LOOK TO EXPAND
Motels4Now is what is called a “low-barrier” homeless shelter, meaning there are very few limits on who is allowed into the program. It also has no restrictions on drug or alcohol use attached to services.
The plan to expand the homeless initiative was done mostly in secret by City of South Bend leaders with no input from residents or business owners. The new facility would be located on a piece of property off of Bendix Drive just north of the South Bend Community School Corporation’s school bus garage. The parcel was recently sold to the City by the South Bend Community School Corporation.
Plans for the new facility started to come to light during a South Bend Community School Corporation Board meeting in January where the school board voted to approve the sale of the plot to the City. The next step was to have the South Bend Redevelopment Commission approve the purchase at a meeting just days later.
While city officials did not notify any of the stakeholders of the plan or meeting, Republican County Council Members and County Commissioners caught wind and made notifications to as many business owners as they could — mounting an overwhelming opposing presence at the Redevelopment Commission meeting. Members of the commission then voted unanimously to table the issue to a later date. Within just a couple of weeks, the issue was back in front of the South Bend Redevelopment Commission and passed with only one vote against the measure.
HOTBED FOR CRIME
In January of last year, an RNM investigation uncovered major crime and drug problems with the Motels4Now program. A public records request by REAL News Michiana discovered the “low-barrier” facility has been the scene of countless drug overdoses, thefts and batteries, while purporting to be helping those most in need in our community. Records show more than 1,000 calls for service to the location in just a couple of years. Several businesses have also closed down or moved because of the issues brought by the program — including a McDonalds.
In 2022 alone, police were called to the Motels4Now property for the following crimes:
Assault: 17 Calls
Theft: 15 Calls
Disturbance: 15 Calls
Overdose: 14 Calls
Threat: 10 Calls
Suspicious Activity: 8 Calls
Fighting: 4 Calls
Burglary: 3 Calls
Weapons: 3 Calls
Shots Fired: 3 Calls
Harassment: 3 Calls
Vandalism: 2 Calls
Stabbing: 1 Call
Sex Assault: 1 Call
Drugs: 1 Call
An RNM investigation shows at least six people have died from overdoses on the Motels4Now property since 2020. Another former resident who “graduated” from the program died from a drug overdose at a different transitional home. A total of 28 people associated with the program have died from various reasons since the summer of 2020.
The criminal impact just off the property has also been of major concern. Earlier this year, RNM published a story about a single mother having to hold one man from the facility at gunpoint when he attempted to break into her home.
In a typical circumstance, a property like this would be considered a “nuisance property” facing several costly fines with the potential of being shut down. Motels4Now has received no such citations.
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