A 70-year-old man who has been deemed a sexually violent predator may be released into a rural East County community pending a November hearing on the matter, law enforcement officials announced Friday.
According to court documents, it’s been proposed that Douglas Badger be placed at a nearly three acre property in the 30000 block of Hartfell Road in Campo’s Lake Morena area.
Badger, who has been diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder and sexual sadism, has a history of sexual assaults dating back to 1974, according to law enforcement officials.
Officials said Badger's victims were primarily male hitchhikers between the ages of 18 and 29, though he assaulted a 16-year-old girl.
Badger spent ten years in state prison after a 1981 conviction for kidnapping and forced copulation with an accomplice.
After being released in 1991, he went back to prison for an additional six years after re-offending, again for forced copulation with an accomplice.
Badger was later committed to a state hospital in 1997 as a sexually violent predator.
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In August of this year the court determined that Badger could be safely released into the community. He was categorized as a Phase V outpatient, which means he will be subject to GPS monitoring.
The court-approved location Badger may be sent to is in the jurisdiction of a sub-station of the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department.
According to officials, the property is 2.8 miles south of Campo Elementary school and 3.6 miles north of Mountain Empire High School.
The proximity to the schools is bothering some, including County Supervisor Dianne Jacob.
“Given his violent history as a serial sexual predator, Douglas Badger forfeited his freedom long ago and should be locked up for good,” Jacob said.
Jacob went on to say that in recent years sexual predators who were placed in San Diego’s East County had gone on to violate the terms of their release and were ordered to return to mental institutions. According to county statistics, three sexually violent predators have done so.
“Rather than dumping Badger in the backcountry,” Jacob continued, “the state should house him next to Donovan State Prison, where several sexually violent predators have previously been located.”
A hearing in San Diego Superior Court is scheduled on Nov. 15 to determine whether Badger's proposed placement will be finalized. The hearing will take into consideration comments from the public on the proposal.
According to the county’s website, as of Sept. 2011, 65 sexually violent predators were living in San Diego.
The Sexual Assault Felony Enforcement (SAFE) Task Force, along with other law enforcement agencies and the court, monitors the offenders.
