ROSEVILLE, Calif. — A man considered a sexually violent predator by the justice system could soon be set free in Placer County.
ABC10 spoke with Placer County District Attorney Morgan Gire about what he’s doing to protect the community and how the state chooses where a sexually violent predator should be released.
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.
"I'm very worried that Mr. Stephenson would reoffend,” said Gire. “We look at his ultimate criminal history, the crimes that he committed. Those sex crimes, by their very nature, have a high degree of recidivism, and then you have to look at someone's performance once they've been released. And we have at least one occasion where he violated the law in terms of his release, requiring him to be recommitted.”
Gire wants to hear from community members. He created an online portal where people living in Placer County can submit a letter opposing Stephenson’s release in the community.
ABC10 spoke with Sacramento-based attorney Mark Reichel – who is not involved with this case – about how a judge is required to consider community input before deciding where to place a sexually violent predator.
“They have to be somewhere out in the community. We just can't have a leper colony somewhere off the coast of California,” said Reichel. “But the law clearly requires the input from the district attorney's office, from law enforcement, from the community, from victims as well, before a final answer is given on what we're going to do."
There are ways to keep track of such offenders.
“They can have an ankle monitor, they can have constant surveillance,” said Reichel.
ABC10 asked the Placer County district attorney how the state chooses where a sexually violent predator gets released.
“There's always a very careful process - or at least, it's supposed to be careful - on the part of both the state and the courts to make sure that the area is suitable,” said Gire. “The calculation is what reduces his likelihood to reoffend, should he be released? And certainly his ability to access services, supervision, all of those things, as well as what kind of community is he being placed into.”
That’s why he’s asking the community to weigh in in the form of this online portal.
“We're not trying to create fear or cause panic in the community, but we need our community to be informed and we need their input so that, ultimately, the decision-makers - the judge and the Department of State Hospitals - can be well-informed when they ultimately make the decision on should he be released," said Gire.
The location of Stephenson's placement will be addressed during a hearing Sept. 1. Information on that is HERE.
It's possible he is released that same day, less than a month from now.
The Department of State Hospitals is who ultimately decides where Stephenson will go. Their contractor, Liberty Healthcare, is tasked with supervising, treating and monitoring all sexually violent predators on conditional release. That includes substance abuse testing and GPS monitoring.
Click HERE for more information from the Department of State Hospitals on the process of conditional release for a sexually violent predator.
