Judge sends SVP to Jacumba Hot Springs

A judge on Monday ordered the release of a sexually violent predator to a house in Jacumba Hot Springs where a previous SVP had once lived on Old Highway 80.

The 4-page ruling says Alan Earl James, now 56, should be released from Coalinga State Hospital into the site on or before April 25 under strict conditions by Liberty Healthcare, Inc., which monitors SVPs released by the state. James has been incarcerated for 33 years.

Doctors at the hospital, where James had lived since 2007, unanimously recommended his release, having finished all of the treatment it offered, according to the ruling by San Diego Superior Court Judge Albert Haru­tunian III.

No one spoke in favor of James’ release at a March 22 hearing by Haru­tunian including a Jacumba resident, County Supervisor Dianne Jacob, a brother and sister who said they were victims of James, and others.

James was sentenced to 28 years in prison in 1986 and when that term was up, the District Attorney’s office won a designation for James as a sexu­ally violent predator(SVP) and he was transferred to Coalinga.

“Placement in a rural, less densely populated portion of the county is beneficial to the safety of the public,” wrote Harutunian. “Limiting the exposures to temptations, and access to potential victims, enhances public safety and increases the likelihood that the conditional release placement will succeed.”

Harutunian noted that Lib­erty Healthcare inquired about placement to 219 property own­ers before deciding on a place where a previous SVP had lived. “In addition, this placement car­ries the benefit of having a his­tory of successful placements at this location,” wrote Harutu­nian.

“Liberty’s extensive search, and the reluctance of landlords to accept such placements, demonstrates that the criteria and the limited availability of choices, not prejudice against East County, is what has driven the location of placements,” the judge wrote.

“Placement here avoids the issues that may arise, for law enforcement or the public, upon placing a conditional release in an area new to such a popula­tion,” wrote Harutunian.

A Jacumba resident named Alice told the judge March 22 that Jacumba “is a terrible place” to relocate a sex offender as there is “close proximity to a nudist camp.”

“It’s a horrible place to put a violent criminal. The Mexican border is a football field away,” said Alice. “We are fearful of him being placed in our com­munity.”

County Supervisor Dianne Jacob said there was “over con­centration in this community” as an area to place sex offenders. “I think it is wrong and enough is enough. Our backcountry seems like easy pickings,” said Jacob.

Jacob said there should be an investigation as to why the De­partment of Corrections refuses to allow a trailer on its property where a sex offender could be housed. It was tried before, but the trailer Jacob referred to is no longer usable and there is no proposal to purchase another trailer.

The Department of Correc­tions has vetoed putting anyone who is not an inmate to live on prison grounds.

A brother and sister identi­fied themselves as victims of James and said he was a cousin to them. “I still believe he’s a danger,” said a man, who iden­tified himself as Robert, and added he flew 3,000 miles from the East Coast to testify in the hearing. “He put a butter knife to my neck,” he added.

“Alan does not belong in the community of Jacumba,” said a woman who said James was her cousin. “He assaulted me when I was four years old. I don’t feel he should be released in any com­munity. He is an evil monster.”

Deputy District Attorney Ju­dy Taschner read a letter from one of James’ victims which said her parents have moved to Campo and she did not feel comfortable to be in an area adjacent to where James would live. The woman asked the judge to placed James “in the tightest of restrictions,” and added she would prefer James live on “an island.”

In 1986, James pleaded guilty to child molestation, unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor, kidnapping, and unlawful touch­ing with three minors. His first offense was in 1981 when he pleaded guilty to a lewd act with a child and got 180 days in jail.

Another judge authorized the release of Alvin Quarles, 56, in Jacumba Hot Springs Oct. 12, but the agreement with the owner of the house fell through as officials learned they had not been dealing with the actual owner.

Quarles, who was known in the 1980’s as the “Bolder Than Most” rapist, remains in the Coalinga hospital. A closed door hearing was held last week af­ter the judge had ordered a re-evaluation of Quarles, as the Dis­trict Attorney’s office opposes his release.

Some of the people who tes­tified in James’ hearing also testified against Quarles being released.