AUBURN, Calif. — A community meeting about the release of a sexually violent predator in Placer County is scheduled for Monday.
Liberty Healthcare and the Department of State Hospitals are holding the meeting Aug. 21 at 9:30 a.m. It's a separate meeting from the court hearing on Sept. 1.
William Stephenson has a long criminal history dating back to 1985. It includes indecent exposure, sexual assault and possession of child sexual abuse materials, according to the Placer County Sheriff’s Office. Legally, he is considered a ‘sexually violent predator.’
Stephenson is currently serving time in a state hospital, but ABC10 has followed the story as a judge decided Stephenson is eligible for conditional release and that it should be in Placer County. Amador County was previously under consideration.
“Protecting and serving our community is our sole priority. We continue to stand firmly against SVP Stephenson’s transient release into society, as his violent sexual history is a threat to our community. The state’s failure to secure suitable housing for Stephenson before his release is highly concerning. I implore our residents to stand up with us to fight Stephenson’s transient release. We are committed to upholding Placer County’s safety and maintaining the high quality of life our residents deserve, and Stephenson has no place living in a free society,” said Placer County Sheriff Wayne Woo in a statement.
The meeting will start with a closed session, according to the Placer County District Attorney's Office. Then, the meeting will be open for public comment with people getting two minutes to share their thoughts.
“The Department of State Hospitals is seeking to exclude and marginalize the very voices they are obligated to listen to – the Placer County community,” said Placer County District Attorney Morgan Gire in a statement. “As public servants, they are legally required to hold open meetings as the residents have a right to know about important decisions being made in their communities. Moreover, the Department of State Hospitals should seek and embrace the input from our community but instead, has sought to prevent access and participation at every step. We will continue to challenge DSH until they operate with the openness and transparency our residents deserve.”
How can I participate?
In-person
- State of California Allenby Building at 1215 O Street, First Floor, Room 110B in Sacramento- representatives from DSH and Liberty will be present
- Placer County Community Development Agency located at 3091 County Center Drive in Auburn- representatives from Placer County will be present
Remote
- Submit a public comment in writing to the state from Aug. 20 until midnight Aug. 22, 2023 - Microsoft Forms
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