FOUR SEX OFFENDERS TARGETED ON
MOST WANTED LIST ARE LOCATED

           Four sex offenders featured on the Most Wanted Lists of the Hampden Superior Court and Franklin Superior Court Probation Departments have been located thanks to tips the probation department received from the public.

           Two of the four convicted sex offenders featured on the "Most Wanted" list of the Hampden Superior Court Probation Department were located last week, less than a month after the list was made available to the public.

           "I want to thank those people who called in tips to our department. The information you provided resulted in the apprehension of one offender and the location of another. Your contributions are immeasurable," said Hampden Superior Court Chief Probation Officer Michael Ghazil.

           Probationer Felix Sabater, 34, was found in Holyoke last week, less than a month after Hampden Superior Court Probation asked for the public's help in locating the offender.

           A convicted sex offender, Sabator was on probation for heroin distribution. He failed to report to his probation officer, register as a sex offender, complete community service and pay a probation fee.

           Sabater was brought into court last Wednesday and ordered held on $25,000 cash or $250,000 surety on the violation of probation charges.

           Probation officials also received a lead on the whereabouts of Timothy Tassinari, another sex offender featured on the Most Wanted list. Tassinari, who went missing in April 2004, is doing time in a Florida jail. Details on why Tassinari is serving an 18-month sentence at the Jefferson Correctional Institution in Monticello, Florida for failure to register as a sex offender.

           Tassinari, 39 and formerly of Palmer, was on probation for indecent assault and battery. He failed to attend sex offender treatment, register as a sex offender, and failure to appear before the court for a probation hearing. He was placed on probation for allegedly molesting a young man.

           According to court records, Tassinari entered an unlocked apartment where he found a young man sleeping and proceeded to sexually assault him.

           The two sex offenders, featured on the "Most Wanted" list of the Franklin Superior Court Probation Department, were located within in days. Both men, Eric Foshay and Gene P. Forcier, had a history of sexually abusing children.

           Eric Foshay, 34 and a Level II sex offender, was found fishing in Athol in an area where a summer camp for children is located, according to local police reports. The camp was locked down as local police initiated a manhunt for Foshay, who upon being discovered retreated to the woods. Foshay was apprehended by local police. He is in custody and is scheduled to appear in court for a violation of probation hearing October 3, 2005.

           Foshay was placed on probation after serving 2 ½ years at MCI-Cedar Junction for three counts of rape of a child. He was released on June 25, 2003 and was given five years probation. When he failed to report to his probation officer on June 3, 2005, a warrant was issued. Foshay also failed to notify the probation department of his change of address and failure to continue sex offender treatment and counseling.

           Gene P. Forcier, 30, was found in Florida on August 19 th where he remains in the custody of the Florida Department of Corrections. Forcier is being detained on a warrant issued by Franklin Superior Court Probation, pending a violation of probation hearing. He was on probation for rape of a child when he failed to report to his probation officer in 2001. A warrant for his arrest was issued on June 28, 2001. Forcier was originally given a split sentence and served two and half years in the House of Correction for indecent assault and battery on a child under 14. He was released from prison on August 26, 2000 and placed on probation for five years. Forcier also failed to notify the probation department of a change of address, and he failed to remain in sex offender treatment as determined by probation. According to information provided to the court, Forcier fled to Florida prior to being classified as a sex offender by the Sex Offender Registry Board.