A sex offender living under the Julia Tuttle Causeway has been cleared of accusations that he went to a park when children were present, violating state and county restrictions.

Bryan Exile, who is one of two plaintiffs named in the ACLU of Florida's lawsuit in connection with Miami-Dade's mandate that sex offenders keep at least 2,500 feet away from places where children congregate, was released from jail last week. He had been arrested Sept. 4 on misdemeanor charges of violating probation and trespassing.

Exile was falsely accused of trespassing in a housing project, then walking to the park. The charges were dropped by Nov. 6 after prosecutors learned Exile was never in the park, according to an ACLU news release.

``Fortunately, the state attorney's office acted responsibly in this case and released an innocent man from custody,'' said Bruce Alter, Exile's attorney.

The ACLU lawsuit, which is now in the Third District Court of Appeals, is attempting to nullify the county's 2,500 feet law. It alleges local law should not supersede the state law, which calls for sex offenders to stay 1,000 feet from parks, schools and other places were children gather.

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