PALATKA, Fla. — Last Friday Putnam County Sheriff Gator Deloach condemned nearly an entire trailer park in Palatka and called it a “cesspool of sex offenders.”

According to the sheriff’s office, more than 22 convicted sex offenders and predators lived on the property, and 11 out of the 14 trailers have been condemned.

Our First Coast News team spoke with some of the sex offenders who are still living at the remaining trailers and the others have been relocated in tents near the jail.

As of Tuesday, six sex offenders from CCM Park have been in tents since the park was condemned. They are on the property of the Putnam county sheriff’s office where they are monitored by an officer who they check in with regularly. 

“It’s been rough, some guys could not take showers, it’s cold and just real disgusting what’s going on,” said one sex offender who asked to remain anonymous.

“A tent on the hard ground with a yoga mat,” said another sex offender, who asked to be identified as TJ.

“I’m 77 years old and I’m having to live on the ground,” said Thomas Turner, one of the many sex offenders who was kicked out of CCM park by the Putnam County deputies last Friday due to code violations and permit issues.

For the last four days, he along with other offenders have been living in these tents, right by the Putnam County jail. While on the property, they are working with probation officers and wearing their ankle monitors.

“For them to put us out here like this is cruel and unusual punishment because we have already served our time. All we want is to live in peace,” said TJ.

A current living situation that alarms the landlord of CCM park, Julie Martin.

“You know my biggest concern is that my tenants are safe and I don’t feel that they are in tents,” said Martin.

While some of the sex offenders remain in tents, others were able to remain in the three trailers on the property that haven’t been condemned, but say they’re now living in fear.

“It’s made me feel less than a human being for what he has called me,” said Arnold Marchione. “I’m afraid to leave out this gate behind me every morning. Anytime I go anywhere I feel like something is going to happen to me.”

“It’s a target on our backs now, so we just got to stay prayed up and stick together like we all do out here,” said another sex offender, who asked to remain anonymous. 

According to the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, 90% of the offenders at the park came from outside of Putnam County.

The Putnam county sheriff’s office says some offenders who resided here went back to where they came from or found alternate housing, and others will reside on the  property of the sheriff’s office for a few more days. They must notify the sheriff’s office if they’re staying in the county or relocating to stay compliant with their registration.