AMADOR COUNTY, Calif. — A sexually violent predator originally expected to be re-located to Amador County might not be moved there after all.
William Stephenson, 66, was sentenced to 31 years in state prison.
According to the online legal research tool Casetext.com., Stephenson has a long criminal history, including convictions of sexually assaulting two women at a nude beach while threatening them with a knife.
Deemed as a "Sexually Violent Predator (SVP)," he was eventually committed to a state hospital, but for a time, there were expectations that he might be released into Amador County.
In a news release from Amador County District Attorney Todd Riebe, he said a Placer County judge vacated his prior ruling and will have officials search for a location within Placer County.
Amador County District Attorney Todd Riebe announced that Placer County Superior Court judge vacated his finding that led to Amador County being a proposed site for Stephenson.
"The Placer court's rulings today places Amador back to where we were prior to the December 5th hearing. That is good news," said Riebe. "It allows the search for suitable housing for SVP Stephenson to continue within Placer County. It finally gives us the information we have been seeking so that we prepare should Amador ever be selected as a proposed placement location. And it gives us valuable time to mobilize and develop a plan to fight against any future placement of SVP Stephenson or any other SVP within our community."
The concerns about Stephenson's placement weren't one-side either. According to the news release, Stephenson's counsel said Stephenson feared for his safety in Amador, but also wanted to retain the Amador County site if it becomes necessary.
Riebe also noted concerns about the Amador placement that included a nearby school bus stop, location near Bureau of Land Management land where people hike, proximity to neighboring properties where 10 children live, spotty cell phone service and GPS service in the area, 911 response times, limited law enforcement resources and lack of mental health resources to address Stephenson's needs.
According to the news release, the judge also called for Liberty Healthcare to create a transient status release plan for Stephenson as an option.
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