Repeat Sex Offender Will Be Released as ‘Transient’ in Placer County

In March, the Globe reported on a sexually violent predator who was being released for the second time from prison. And he was going to be released to another county rather than his home county, as the law requires.

We asked, “Why would a sexually violent predator be ordered to another county for release than his county of domicile?”

“For too long, the state has been sneaking around trying to release or parole dangerous sexually violent predators (SVPs) and rapists in residential neighborhoods,” Senate Republican Leader Brian Jones told the Globe.

The Senate Minority Leader made a formal request in February that the Joint Legislative Audit Committee authorize an audit of Liberty Healthcare’s long-running exclusive contract to manage the Sexually Violent Predator Conditional Release Program (SVP CONREP) currently overseen by the Department of State Hospitals (DSH). Sen. Jones is committed to reforming the SVP release and placement process so that public safety is top priority.

Sen. Jones said this has been going on for 20 years, largely unchecked, through the little known program.

Amador County District Attorney Todd Riebe spoke to the Globe spoke about Mr. Stephenson being placed in Amador County, and we asked how and why?

DA Riebe said he and Amador County Sheriff Gary Redman were not given any information on what the extraordinary circumstances were for relocating Mr. Stephenson to Amador, nor were they provided any information on what efforts to find a suitable location were.

“And we’ve received no documentation from the Placer County Court,” he said.

Well, the good guys won on this issue. Amador County will not be home to William Stephenson, we reported in April.

Flash forward to July 2023: Stephenson is being released.

KCRA reported:

A convicted sex offender will be released as a transient in Placer County, according to a release from the district attorney’s office. The Placer County District Attorney’s Office said it “has vehemently opposed” William Stephenson’s release during every court proceeding involving the sex offender. On Monday, after a three-hour hearing and argument, the judge granted Stephenson transient release in Placer County.

And then, KCRA updated the story:

Placer County law enforcement leaders are pushing back after a Superior Court judge ordered the release of a sexually violent offender.

A Placer County Superior Court judge ordered his release as a transient, meaning he’ll live without a permanent address.

“What that means is he’s going to be released most likely into some sort of vehicle or RV and be on the streets, not in a state hospital,” said David Tellman, the Placer County chief assistant district attorney.

Stephenson is currently in the custody of the Department of State Hospitals, enrolled in the sexually violent predator program.

A resident of Amador County wrote a letter in March to SVP CONREP and Liberty Healthcare, and copied the Globe, with grim details about Mr. Stephenson’s history, available at the state’s Megan’s Law website:

“Mr. Stephenson was convicted of sexual battery, oral copulation by force or fear, sexual penetration of a victim with a foreign object by force, indecent exposure, and assault with intent to commit a specified sexoffense. He has been a known offender since his arrest and first convictions in 1991. After serving time in State Prison, and while residing in Roseville (Placer County, CA) on a CONREP r e l e a s e , he reoffended and was arrested in 2017 for possession of child pornography. He has been deemed a Sexually
Violent Predator (SVP).

I am aware of published media accounts of Stephenson effectively terrorizing his Roseville neighborhood while under the care and supervision of Liberty. I am also aware that his conduct while under Liberty’s supervision, and the resulting very public outcry, resulted in Roseville Police and the Placer County District Attorney’s Office launching an investigation that resulted in the 2017 arrest.

Considering the previous local concern and resulting media coverage during Stephenson’s last release into his Placer County Community, coupled with the fact that Stephenson has no ties whatsoever to Amador County, I can only assume that the CONREP program took a look at a map and identified Amador County for his release based on its relatively large geographic size as related to its low population – the perfect community to slip Stephenson into, under the radar. Rest assured, Mr. Stephenson is now very much on our radar.”

When Stephenson’s release is set, Liberty Healthcare will provide him an RV to live in. the location will be set at a hearing in September.

Why would a judge order the release of a sexually violent predator with a 30+ year record of repeat sex offenses – Especially when 70% of SVP’s released into communities in California were returned to custody, the Borrengo Sun reported in 2022.

“Placer County Sheriff Wayne Woo says William Stephenson is not someone who can be trusted to live freely among the public and poses a great threat to the community due to his criminal history,” ABC10 reported today.

Sen. Jones told the Globe in February that SVP CONREP is a rogue program coming under increasing public scrutiny and criticism for its lack of accountability and transparency, its wasteful spending of tax dollars, its casual treatment of public safety concerns, as well as its unresponsiveness to local officials and state legislative offices.

Since 2003, Liberty Healthcare Corporation has been the Conditional Release Program supervision program for Sexually Violent Predators in California.

Jones says the trail of Liberty Healthcare’s SVP placement disasters ranges from trying to place Cary Verse (convicted of multiple attacks on young boys in Contra Costa County) in Merced County in 2003, to multiple recent attempts last year to place known child sex predator Douglas Badger near schools, bus stops, and day care centers in San Diego County.

Jones said, “East Coast based-Liberty Healthcare sneaks into unsuspecting communities up and down California and employs a disturbing placement strategy known as ‘Hide the Predator,’ in which full details of where they are leasing homes for SVPs are kept secret from neighbors, school officials, and even local law enforcement,” said Sen. Jones. “On the campaign trail, I promised to hold Liberty Healthcare accountable and get to the bottom of their poor handling of SVP placements. I’m following through on those promises and requesting a full audit of Liberty Healthcare’s process.”