sex offenders

NEIGHBORS ANGRY TO FIND FIVE SEX OFFENDERS SECRETLY PLACED IN THEIR LAKESIDE NEIGHBORHOOD

By Henri Migala

September 12, 2022 (Lakeside) -  Families, neighbors and their supporters gathered in Lakeside on Blossom Valley Road to protest five sex offenders secretly placed in their neighborhood in the past couple of weeks.

In a story that happens all too frequently in East County, approximately 100 residents and community members expressed their surprise, fear and outrage at finding out that their quiet, family-friendly community was housing convicted sex offenders. Not one, or two, but five – all in one home.


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FBI SEEKS PUBLIC HELP TO FIND MICHAEL JAMES PRATT, WANTED FOR SEX TRAFFICKING AND CHILD PORNOGRAPHY: $50,000 REWARD OFFERED

East County News Service

 

October 13, 2021 (San Diego) -- The Federal Bureau of Investigation is asking for the public’s assistance in locating wanted fugitive Michael James Pratt and is offering a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to his arrest.  


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JUDGE BLOCKS BADGER’S PLACEMENT AT MT. HELIX; JONES BILL WOULD LIMIT STATE DUMPING OF VIOLENT SEX OFFENDERS IN EAST COUNTY

By Miriam Raftery

May 22, 2021 (Mt. Helix) – Residents on Horizon Hills near Mt. Helix are reveling in a ruling by Superior Court Judge Theodore Weathers which blocks the state from placing Douglas Badger, a sexually violent predator (SVP) in the community. Earlier this month, another judge blocked placement of a second SVP, Merle Wakefield, at the same site.

The residents have announced a "Super Victory Party" on May 31 to celebrate keeping their neighborhood safe.


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SUPERVISORS APPROVE ANDERSON MEASURE TO IMPROVE NOTIFICATIONS TO COMMUNITIES REGARDING SEX OFFENDERS

By Miriam Raftery

May 9, 2021 (San Diego) – San Diego County’s Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a measure to increase public notification regarding locations of registered sex offenders and proposed placements of sexually violent predators in communities. Supervisor Joel Anderson introduced the measure, which was amended at the request of Supervisor Jim Desmond to also include Native American communities.

Anderson says that existing notifications “do not provide adequate notice to communities where sex offenders will be located.” In a written statement to the board, Anderson indicated that after sending questions to the District Attorney and Sheriff regarding the placement process and notification procedures, “there are inconsistencies and omissions in the answers we received.”


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SUPERVISOR ANDERSON CALLS FOR REFORMS IN PLACEMENT OF PREDATORS AND COMMUNITY NOTIFICATION

Update May 9, 2021: Supervisors unanimously approved Anderson's proposal.  Read our follow-up coverage.
 
By Miriam Raftery
 
Photo: map shows disproportionate number of sex offenders placed in East County
 
May 1, 2021 (El Cajon) – Community members held another rally April 28 at Wells Park to oppose the proposed placement of Merle Wakefield and Joseph Badger, both sexually violent predators (SVPs), at 10957 Horizon Hills in unincorporated El Cajon.  Now Supervisor Joel Anderson has announced he will introduce a directive at next week’s County Board of supervisors meeting instruction County Council and the Chief Administrative Officer to fully investigate what he calls “inexcusable and irresponsible weaknesses in the County’s current policies for the notification and placement processes for sex offenders and Sexually Violent Offenders.”

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SUPERVISOR JACOB SOUNDS ALARM OVER STATE’S PLAN TO RELEASE ANOTHER SEXUALLY VIOLENT PREDATOR IN JACUMBA HOT SPRINGS, NEAR BOULEVARD

By Miriam Raftery
 
Photo:  Thomas Cornwell, 41, convicted of lewd acts on children under age 14, has been diagnosed with pedophilic disorder
 
November 14, 2019 (San Diego’s East County) – Supervisor Dianne Jacob, in a letter to Calif. Attorney General Xavier Becerra, cites disturbing statistics regarding sexually violent predators released in East County.  Of 12 released countywide in the past 15 years, nine were sent to East County. Five of the 12 violated conditions of their release and four were sent back to state mental hospitals, according to Jacob. Yet the state is proposing to release two more sexually violent predators into our region.

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CHELSEA KING CASE RAISES QUESTIONS ABOUT MEGAN'S LAW

 



By E.A. Barrera

 

March 3, 2010 (San Diego) --In the wake of the case of murdered Poway High school student Chelsea King and the arrest of convicted sex-offender John Gardner who lives in Lake Elsinore, the subject of “Megan’s Law” and what it is supposed to do is once again in the news.


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EAST COUNTY ROUNDUP: NOVEMBER 30, 2009


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GOVERNOR SIGNS 2 BILLS BY HOLLINGSWORTH INTO LAW; PROVIDES LAW ENFORCEMENT MORE RESOURCES TO MONITOR & PROSECUTE SEX OFFENDERS

August 9, 2009 (Sacramento) - Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on Thursday announced the signing of two bills that will give law enforcement officials additional resources to more effectively monitor and prosecute registered sex offenders and sexually violent predators. Both were authored by Senator Dennis Holilngsworth (R-Murrieta) whose district includes East County, North County, and portions of San Diego.

 


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Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.