CONGRESSMAN FILNER JOINS LOCAL OFFICIALS TO OPPOSE RELEASE OF CONVICTED SEX OFFENDER TO OTAY MESA

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( Manuel Paul, San Ysidro School District Superintendent; Clarissa Falcon, District Director for State Senator Denise Ducheny; Rachel Solorzano, Congressman Bob Filner, Representative from Assembly Member Mary Salas’ Office; Yolanda Hernandez, San Ysidro School Board Member; Hector Espinoza, San Ysidro High School Principal; Jesus Gandara, Sweetwater School District Superintendent; Ralph Dimarucut from Assembly Member Mary Salas’ Office; Anastasia Farbur from Senator Denise Ducheny’s Office; Raquel Marquez, San Ysidro School Board Member; and Jason Wells, San Ysidro Chamber of Commerce. )

April 16, 2009 (Otay Mesa)--Congressman Bob Filner joined with local school and public officials at the San Ysidro Child Development Center today to publicly oppose the release of convicted sex offender, Matthew Hedge, in Otay Mesa. A judge recently approved a plan to release Hedge in Otay Mesa within the next month, and many are concerned that this is too close to schools and neighborhoods with small children.

“Otay Mesa is a great place to raise kids; not a great place to release Matthew Hedge,” said Congressman Filner. “I’m asking Governor Schwarzenegger to prevent state property from being used to facilitate this unnecessary mistake and consider more equitable alternatives. Southern San Diego is not a dumping ground for disturbed criminals from the entire county!”

Hedge pleaded guilty to molesting two boys, ages 6 and 10, and two girls, 9 and 13. Hedge also violated the terms of his first release in 2006 and has shown that he cannot be trusted around minors, those opposed to Hedge’s release argued.

“We will do anything to block this pedophile from being within walking distance of our schools,” added Manuel Paul, San Ysidro Superintendent. “We have young children – daycare through 5th grade programs – within a couple miles of where this criminal is scheduled to be released and I believe that there are other places that would be safer, such as military bases, where he could live around adults and not children.”

Hedge was previously set to be released in Ramona, but residents protested and the landlord retracted his lease offer for Hedge’s proposed residence. As a result, a judge recently approved a plan to place Matthew Hedge onto state property adjacent to Donovan State Prison within one month.

In March, Congressman Filner contacted the Director of the California Department of Mental Health, Stephen Mayberg, to oppose Hedge’s release in Otay Mesa. Filner and other concerned community leaders are also contacting Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and California State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Jack O’Connell, urging immediate action to find safer, alternative options for Matthew Hedge’s future.


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