Posted on 07/03/2005 5:26:38 AM PDT by QwertyKPH
Court and police records paint a picture of Joseph Edward Duncan III's life as one without roots and a criminal record that started early.
The son of a career serviceman, Duncan moved often, both in Europe and in the United States, before his family settled in the state of Washington, according to a packet of information Fargo police released when Duncan moved to Fargo five years ago.
At age 15, a year before his parents divorced, Duncan stole a vehicle and led police on a high-speed chase before ramming a police blockade.
He was placed at a boys ranch, put on probation for a year and ordered to do 150 hours of community service.
In January 1980, a month before he turned 17, Duncan broke into a neighbor's home in Tacoma, Wash., and stole four semi-automatic pistols, according to Pierce County (Wash.) Sheriff's Department investigators' reports.
Notifying the public about Duncan Later that day, Duncan pulled a gun on a 14-year-old boy walking home from school. Deputies said Duncan took the 14-year-old to a wooded area and raped him.
Duncan also beat the boy with a branch and burned him with a cigarette lighter, deputies said.
Duncan pleaded guilty to a charge of first-degree rape while armed with a firearm and was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
On the recommendations of a Pierce County probation officer, a judge suspended the sentence and ordered Duncan to enter the sexual offender program at Western State Hospital in Steilacoom, Wash.
While there, Duncan told doctors he had his first homosexual and heterosexual experiences when he was 12.
He said when he was 15 he forced a 9-year-old to have sexual contact with him at gunpoint.
Duncan told doctors that when he was 16 he tied up six boys, ages 6 through 10, and forced them to have sexual contact with him.
Duncan later said he made up those stories to be accepted into the hospital and avoid prison.
In March 1982, state hospital officials said Duncan was no longer amenable to treatment after he left the hospital grounds and peeped in the windows of nearby homes.
A judge revoked his suspended sentence and Duncan began serving his time in a state penitentiary.
Duncan was paroled several times and returned to prison for parole violations, including failing to register as a sex offender in Kansas City, Mo., where the FBI arrested him in August 1997.
At a 1997 parole revocation hearing in Olympia, Wash., Richard Wacksman, a Fargo doctor Duncan had met at a coffeehouse in San Francisco, testified on his behalf.
Wacksman said he would support Duncan financially and let him live in his home if he was released.
The parole review board rejected the plan and revoked Duncan's parole.
Wacksman has since moved from Fargo. Efforts to contact him were unsuccessful Saturday.
In 1999, prison officials cited Duncan for fighting in prison.
That same year, a psychologist rated the risk of Duncan repeating his crime or being violent as medium.
He was released from prison on July 14, 2000, and registered as a sex offender in Fargo 10 days later.
In March, he was charged in Becker County District Court with second-degree criminal sexual conduct and second-degree attempted criminal sexual conduct.
Court documents accuse Duncan of pulling down the pants of a 6-year-old boy and fondling him at a school playground in Detroit Lakes on July 3, 2004.
Duncan also attempted to assault the boy's friend, who was 8 at the time, according to the court papers.
Duncan appeared in court April 5 on the charges and was released after posting $15,000 cash and promising to keep in touch with a probation agent.
Police say Duncan last made contact with the agent the week of April 11.
Becker County authorities issued a warrant for Duncan's arrest in May.
Duncan now faces a Becker County charge of failure to appear for a hearing and a charge in Cass County District Court for violating North Dakota's sex offender registration law.
Fargo police say Duncan rented a red 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee in St. Paul on April 15 and failed to return it by the due date, April 20.
A key tag belonging to the Jeep was later found by park rangers in Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area in Wyoming.
Idaho police were seeking a warrant Saturday to search a stolen red Jeep officials said Duncan was driving.
The Jeep had license plates that were stolen in Missouri, police said.
Readers can reach Forum reporter Dave Olson at (701) 241-5555 Some information in this story was provided by the Associated Press
And that Dems want to give him back his right to vote.
Not at all, unfortunately. There are hundreds, perhaps a thousand, who are worse and are out walking around.
1980 is the latest that a sane society would have killed this guy.
But, gays don't molest boys! That's just a myth perpetuated by homophobic, knuckle-dragging right-wing Christians!
Was this guy a priest???
But they **do** create angry dangerous pedophiles and set them lose on society as revenge for their own sexual confusion.
/JMNSHO
I'm sure he has far more in common with you than a priest....
NeverGore
It seems to be the normal " career path " of a child molester, catch and release, catch and release, etc.
Excellent phrasing.
catch, create another, and release
catch, create another, and release etc etc.
works just like athe HIV virus.
In this case, it was a horrible decision by a judge. In Florida, the guy who raped and killed Jessica Lunsford may walk because the police didn't give him access to his lawyer soon enough. Technicalities, bad judges--something really needs to be done, but every time someone tries, the ACLU or some other worthless group steps in and raises a stink.
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