Police: Sex offender boards bus for Denver Colorado

Cortez Journal ^ | May 14, 2005 | Kelsey Warner

[trussell]

May 14, 2005

 

Police: Sex offender boards bus for Denver

 

By Kelsey Warner
Journal Staff Writer

As of Wednesday morning Cortez was no longer home to James Scott Combs - a sexually violent predator who moved to the area in April.

"He did board the bus," Lt. Darrell Hinton, of the Cortez Police Department, said.

The bus, which departed from Durango, left at 8:20 a.m. and was bound for Denver.

Combs, 44, was convicted in 1992 of four acts of gross sexual assault on a 10-year-old in Bangor, Maine. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison for his crimes.

Prior to leaving, Combs informed a detective that he would be vacating the area and going to Denver.

"We took that as a de-registration," Hinton said.

Registered sex offenders are required by state law to register and de-register every time they move. Failing to follow that protocol is considered a felony in Colorado.

As a part of community notification of Combs' presence, Beech Street Kindergarten Principal Dan Porter and Kemper Elementary Principal Becky Stephens were informed. Both sent letters to the parents of their students with tips on how to keep their children safe.

"I think we need to continue being safe at all times," Stephens said. "I just think overall that parents and schools need to remind students about personal safety. I think as a community we're all raising the children and I think we need to keep them safe."

According to Hinton, as many as 100 people have visited the police department in the last week to look at Combs' picture. Several citizens also called to request a clarification of the difference between a Violent Sexual Predator and a regular sex offender.

"A predator is one who preys, and in their case, they groom their victims," Hinton said.

Within 10 minutes of being de-registered, Hinton said, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation called to check on the situation. Comb's information was given to a detective with the Sex Offenders Registration Unit with the Denver Police Department so his movements could be tracked from the time he stepped off the bus.

According to Sgt. Paul Kenison of the Bangor Police Department, Combs has two active warrants in Maine because of his failure to register as a sex offender. However, Kenison said, it is unclear if the district attorney will pursue Combs' extradition due to the cost of the endeavor and because failing to register is only a misdemeanor in Maine.

Reach Kelsey Warner here .

[trussell]

This is a followup to another article ran in the Cortez Journal just a few days prior...that article can be found at http://www.cortezjournal.com/asp-bin/article_generation.asp?article_type=news&article_path=/news/05/news050510_1.htm

[trussell]

Try this again...

http://www.cortezjournal.com/asp-bin/article_generation.asp?article_type=news&article_path=/news/05/news050510_1.htm

[nuconvert]

Isn't there something bizarre about letting a guy out of prison and having to warn the citizens if he's coming to your area? I mean what's wrong with this picture?

[trussell]

Heads up Colorado freepers, a homeless, violent sexual predator walks among us!

[trussell]

In my opinion, he should be kept in prison for life!! Check out the link to the original article...he is a violent predator, and raped a 10 year old! Since our feel good judges wont do that, then he should live with the judge that released him for a minimum of six months

The judges certaintly wont agree to that...they believe it's ok to release them on society, but they don't want to take responsibility for them so, he should be placed in a half way house and forced to find a job, become stable with a home of his own, and tagged with a GPS chip.

[Brad’s Gramma]

BTTT

kayak....if you know any CO Freepers...will you ping them to this?

[trussell]

I guess this is an older photo of him...he may be quite a bit heavier than this now!!

[calex59]

In my opinion, he should be kept in prison for life!! Check out the link to the original article...he is a violent predator, and raped a 10 year old! Since our feel good judges wont do that, then he should live with the judge that released him for a minimum of six months

To be fair to judges, some of them anyway, they can only impose the maximum sentence allowed under the law. I don't know what this guy got originally but if he was let out on parole it is not the judge who let him out. If you want longer sentences for child molesters then lobby to change the laws. BTW I happen to agree with you on the poing of life sentences since so many sexual predators seem never to reform.

[TFMcGuire]

Sad to say,

He's doubtless coming to establish anonymity and to hunt the Denver area.

Heads up, Indeed!

Get this news out to all Coloradans you know.

[trussell]

I went to the Colorado home page and copied every name on the list of Colorado freepers. That's the list I pinged with the heads up comment. I hope they don't mind!

[Tennessee_Bob]

tagged with a GPS chip

Inserted at the back of his skull with a .357 slug, preferably.

[wireplay]

Thanks for the heads up. We'll get the word out to some parents in Woodland Park and spread the info.

[festus]

You sound like one of those problem solving folks. ;-)

[JimRed]

BTW I happen to agree with you on the poing of life sentences since so many sexual predators seem never to reform.

For about the umpteenth time: they (and all violent repeat offenders as well) should be exiled for life. Drop them off on a rock in the Aleutians with a knife, a blanket and some clothing. Let nature (mother nature and their own nature) take care of them.

[trussell]

That would work better than the idea a friend of mine had...she thought the chip should be inserted into their "weapon of choice" so they wouldn't be tempted to dig it out!

I like your idea better!!

[trussell]

I really appreciate that! My goal is to get the word out as much as possible to protect all the innocent children he might target!

[trussell]

I like your idea very much!

[TYVets]

"However, Kenison said, it is unclear if the district attorney will pursue Combs' extradition due to the cost of the endeavor and because failing to register is only a misdemeanor in Maine. "

I am sure that will be very consoling to his next victims.

[jan in Colorado]

I hope they don't mind!

Thanks for the ping trussell!

I'm sure no one minds. This may be a good topic to bring up to Mike Rosen on Monday morning.

[trussell]

Mike Rosen? Is he in Denver?

If so, would you be able to do that?