FARGO (AP) - A sex offender at the North Dakota State Hospital in Jamestown admits to molesting a patient there who has the mental capacity of a 5-year-old, and says the assault could have been prevented.

Rodney Ireland, 22, who was civilly committed to the hospital as a sexually dangerous person, said he takes full responsibility for abusing the 45-year-old man, who reportedly lives in the hospital's sex offender unit even though he is not a convicted sex offender.

"I believe that it's reckless for him to be here in the first place," Ireland said. "They move him from floor to floor, but he's still intermingling with sex offenders."

Hospital Superintendent Alex Schweitzer said he could not verify whether the victim or Ireland are living in the sex offender unit because of privacy rules. He said he could not talk specifically about "any issues regarding anything in regards to patient care."

The victim's father said the man has been at the State Hospital for 33 years. The father said that overall he is pleased with the care his son has received, but he is worried about his son's living arrangements because his diminished mental capacity makes him vulnerable to abuse.

Bill Kysar, 47, a convicted sex offender also civilly committed to the State Hospital, said he has advocated several times for the victim to be moved to a different unit.

"If we're so safe, then how come we're not out in the community?" Kysar said, referring to those in the sex offender unit.

The victim's father said that while his son is a large man who might be able to physically protect himself, he should be moved to a different unit because he is mentally vulnerable.

"I think they can find another unit for him if they try," he said.

Ireland, who faces a felony gross sexual imposition charge for the incident, said he also is lobbying for the man to be moved.

"It doesn't take away from the events that have occurred, but I'm pretty sure that they could have minimized the chances of this happening if they would have moved him to a more secure, more stable environment," he said.