A sexually violent predator is now staying at a home in Jacumba Hot Springs, after years of communities fighting against his placement. Merle Wakefield was granted what’s called “transient release” and is now under 24/7 supervision. NBC 7’s Dana Williams has details.
A 67-year-old sex offender was released Tuesday from Coalinga State Hospital under conditional terms, requiring a lifetime registration as a sexual predator.
Merle Wakefield was convicted of lewd acts on a child in 1981 and rape by means of force, violence or fear in 1990 and sentenced to state prison each time, according to the San Diego County District Attorney's Office.
Wakefield served several years in state prison for his offenses before being committed to a state mental hospital for sex offenders, according to the San Diego County Sheriff's Department.
He was released from the hospital to a temporary home in Jacumba Hot Springs under the conditional release program and is required to register as a sex offender for life.
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San Diego Superior Court Judge Yvonne Campos ordered that he be placed in one of two vacant homes where other sexual violent predators were previously housed. If the homes become unavailable in the future, Wakefield would be moved into an recreational vehicle purchased by Liberty Healthcare, which operates the state's conditional release program for sexually violent predators.
"Wakefield is currently a transient. However, he has 24-hour supervision provided by Liberty Healthcare, a private company contracted by the state of California," sheriff's officials said in a statement.
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Liberty Healthcare has Wakefield under 24-hour watch, with security personnel accompanying him daily. Sheriff's officials stated that the purpose of informing the public is not to cause fear but to assist with community safety. Any individual using the information to threaten, intimidate, or harass Wakefield will not be tolerated and may result in prosecution.
"Neither the San Diego County Sheriff's Office, the San Diego County District Attorney's Office, or the Sexual Assault Enforcement Task Force is responsible for the selection of the site. That selection process is the responsibility of the Department of State Hospitals and the San Diego Superior Court," sheriff's officials said.
Anyone inquiring additional information about the legal designation, treatment, and release from confined facilities of sexually violent predators should visit the San Diego County Attorney's website or the Department of State Hospital website.
