Protests against sex predator from returning to Wash.

Associated Press ^ | 07/31/03 | Associated Press

[bedolido]

OLYMPIA - At a meeting Wednesday night in Olympia on plans for a treated sex predator some people carried signs telling California "not to dump its trash in Washington."

They protested plans for Brian DeVries to be released to his father and live in Shelton. The father, Berry DeVries of Olympia, tried to reassure neighbors of his son's commitment to a crime-free life.

Last Friday, a judge in San Jose gave the California Department of Mental Health until August tenth to find housing in California for Brian DeVries. Otherwise, he will be released to his father's custody in Washington.

The 44-year-old has been in a state hospital since 1997 after serving prison time for molesting boys. He would be the first person released from Calfiornia's sex predator treatment program.

The sheriff's office organized last night's meeting to provide residents with information about DeVries and to inform them about the state's sex-offender registration law.

A detective, Daryl Leischner, said DeVries is so well known that he won't pose as much of a threat as some others.

Of the 20-thousand sex offenders living in Washington, 588 reside in Thurston County. Of those, law enforcement officials say 34 are Level three offenders, the most dangerous.

[Drango]

This is so easy to solve it's hardly worth mentioning. Washington's governor and judges should immediately parole all sex perverts to San Jose. As near as possible to the house of the California judge making the ruling. Or to Sacramento.

[cocopuff]

The title is very misleading....I thought they were talking about Clinton!!!!!!!

[joesnuffy]

Last week in the Baraboo Wi paper they had a picture of a sexual predator that the state was generously relocating in their community..
They did not list his address but gave the name of his PO
and also made it known that
It is against the law to harrass a sex offender

[Drango]

Of the 20-thousand sex offenders living in Washington,

Is it really that high? How sad....

[Libertina]

The traditional dumping grounds were Pierce County (mine :( and Spokane.

[Scott from the Left Coast]

I had not heard that particular figure...but I know there are a sizable number (it's covered quite a bit by local newspapers, one of which I remember one time said that there were "many thousands" of neighborhoods that had registered sex offenders living in them. It was an article about the massive job of registration...and boo hooo, the poor under-funded state employees who "had" to do it -- like they should get paid for filing their nails or something).

What I don't know, is what level of sex offender...that tag can range from just nasty characters to truly dangerous beasts.