Sex offender arrested after being found near school in West Deer

A registered sex offender was arrested after allegedly being found on the campus of Deer Lakes School District’s East Union Intermediate Center on Tuesday afternoon.

Mark Campbell, 60, of West Deer was seen by an officer walking on the front sidewalk of the school.

Campbell is a lifetime Megan’s Law offender who is on federal probation for life, according to a criminal complaint. He was immediately arrested.

Deer Lakes public relations coordinator Shawn Annarelli forwarded TribLive the message sent to parents after the incident.

“The West Deer Police Department alerted the Deer Lakes School District today that police officers arrested an individual who was on school grounds illegally,” the statement read. “The arrested individual never entered any of our buildings and did not have any contact with students or staff. School classes were not impacted by this incident.”

The message noted that a West Deer police officer is present daily at each campus in the district.

According to the criminal complaint, law enforcement has dealt with Campbell multiple times this month.

Officers noted three other times they responded to calls about him, including trespassing on private property and once for allegedly following a juvenile home from school while “whistling like a cat call sound” at the boy and then peering in his windows.

Police said Campbell was advised on Feb. 19 that if he trespassed on any property, he would be arrested.

Campbell is charged with harassment and trespassing. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, March 5.