At a press conference held at the Turlock Police Department on Friday, state and county officials, as well as members of the community, protested the planned release of convicted child sex offender Kevin Gray.
Gray, 72, was convicted of four separate sex crimes against children age 11 and younger. However, he’s admitted that he was not prosecuted for most of his crimes — saying that he’s fondled 50 young girls and indecently exposed himself to 1,000.
State Sen. Marie Alvarado-Gil, Stanislaus County District Attorney Jeff Laugero, Turlock Police Chief Jason Hedden, Stanislaus County Supervisor Vito Chiesa and Merced County Sheriff Vern Warnke all spoke against his conditional release to a housing unit off Central Avenue in Turlock.
“I have successfully fought to protect four other counties in my district from becoming dumping grounds for sexually violent offenders,” Alvarado-Gil said. “And today I reaffirm my commitment to keeping all of our communities safe.”
Sexually violent? Words matter. What this guy did (while inappropriate), I highly doubt rises to the level of being “violent”. The word violent gets tossed around by politicians and law makers and trickles down to DA’s and judges then the public who are all so frightened by “violent” people. Add the word sexual and all the sudden there’s a panic. To attach the word violent waters down any real actual violent sexual crime, this being the use of physical force or threats of physical harm either real or imagined. Just my thoughts.
The cops can’t keep this man from recidivating, how can they claim to be able to do anything? If this is beyond their abilities, what isn’t?
This should be proof of the complete worthlessness of the registry. Cops, parole, Registry can’t keep this guy from doing something, what hope do that have to keep anyone from doing anything?
They do this all the time! Admit that the registry is worthless, has no ability to prevent anything, and the “only hope” is to prevent people from moving near them, and banish all that are already there away. Then demand that the registry is critical to the safety of communities.
I figure if , the sheriff, DA, and local police have such a big problem with him moving there, then they should buy him a house at a location they deem suitable. And no, not back to prison because his sentence is concluded. Nor one of those stupid not-a-prison “treatment” facilities because he had already completed the stupid “treatment” program.
Like it or not, his sentence is over and the state-employed “treatment” providers deemed him OK to return to society. No one else has to like it. There is no constitutional right to pick your neighbors – if you don’t like them, move. Regardless of circumstance, no one has any say whatsoever in who resides in houses they don’t own.
If the guy has served his time, there’s no reason to continue holding him, because after all, he’ll be in the registry and the registry protects kids, right?
As far as the woman with the 8 year old daughter who stated she used to let her run free, seriously? What kind of parent would let a child 8 years old and younger run free? Sounds to me like she needs to be investigated for child endangerment and neglect. My 11 year old is most definitely not allowed to run free. I do give her a very long leash because she has very good judgment and is very responsible, but I always know where she is at all times. She’ll be allowed to run free once she turns 18, but not one day before then.
Do law enforcement and DAs protest when other ” violent” former inmates are released and move into their communities? You might not like what he did, but he deserves to live the rest of his life in peace.
Wow, can you all please remember that what you say here could lead to charges. Please leave your admittance’s to the presence of a psychologist/psychiatrist.
Sure, there is a 1st amendment to the US constitution; there is also that well known case Miranda stating: “Miranda rights (also known as Miranda warnings) outline the following rights: