TURLOCK, Calif. — Neighbors in a Stanislaus County community are hoping to stop not one but two convicted sexually violent predators from moving in.
Neighbors are concerned about two men, Kevin Scott Gray and Timothy Roger Weathers, who could be placed just west of Turlock as the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office says the state recommended the two men be released from the State Hospital.
In the small Chatom Elementary School gymnasium, just outside of Turlock city limits, some community members shared their concerns at a town hall about Gray and Weathers.
“Will he be monitored by an ankle bracelet of some sort?” asked one attendee.
Residents attending the meeting felt a mix of anger, confusion and frustration over the two convicted sexually violent predators who could be moving into their rural community.
“I was just very shocked that this was even happening,” said another attendee.
“It is about bringing awareness, it is about using your voice to advocate for what is right for your community,” said Kelley Coelho, a private investigator.
“It was very disheartening to know that we are fighting something that our taxpayer money is going to fund,” said Candace Gonsalves, who is against the relocation.
Gray was convicted of molesting four girls between the ages of 8 to 11 in Wyoming, Los Angeles and Stanislaus counties. A psychologist for the Department of State Hospitals diagnosed him with 'Pedophilic Disorder' and said he is a danger to others.
The Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office says 61-year-old Weathers was convicted of molesting a child in San Diego County in the 90s. The DA’s office says Weathers was convicted of molesting two different boys in Stanislaus County while on probation for that case.
Officials say Weathers admitted to doctors he molested between 20 to 45 boys during treatment in 2007.
The proposed location where Gray and Weathers will be placed has not been officially released, but community members say it's a property on North Central Avenue. Nearby neighbors say that won't work because one of the nearby homes operates as a home school.
“The house does not have sufficient fencing or anything like that if he is surrounded by an orchard, which means there are a lot of entry and exit points on that. So, he can come and go any which way and have access to children all around him,” said Gonsalves.
Liberty Healthcare, which contracts with the Department of State Hospitals, was not available for an interview Thursday night.
A protest is planned Friday morning near the proposed site. Elected officials are gathering later Friday to address the matter.
