A man designated as a sexually violent predator was approved for parole Friday by a judge at a Jacumba Hot Springs home.
David Munoz, 58, will be released no later than June 7 to a home at 45612 Old Highway 80, where he will live under supervision.
Munoz is classified as a sexually violent predator, or SVP, a designation for people convicted of violent sexual offenses and diagnosed with a mental disorder that makes a person likely to reoffend.
After serving their prison sentences, sexually violent predators undergo treatment in state hospitals, but can also petition the courts to continue their treatment in outpatient treatment centers, where they are monitored by GPS, among other measures.
According to the district attorney’s office, Munoz was convicted of molesting a 12-year-old girl and a 2-year-old girl between 1988 and 1992, and of attempting to molest three other victims. He was sentenced in 1992 to 11 years in state prison and was later committed to Coalinga State Hospital.
Munoz’s placement in the Old Highway 80 home was approved by San Diego Superior Court Judge David Gill during a court hearing Friday morning. Liberty Healthcare, which runs the state’s parole program for sexually violent predators, said no SVP has reoffended in the program’s 21-year history.
Dr. Melissa Bagwell, who appeared at Friday’s hearing on Liberty’s behalf, said that while some SVPs have been returned to state hospitals for violating the conditions of their parole, none of those cases involved new sexual offenses.
County Supervisor Joel Anderson, whose district includes Jacumba Hot Springs, submitted a letter of opposition to Munoz’s release in which he claims Liberty Healthcare “continues to target the Jacumba community as a dumping ground for SVPs.” .
Anderson wrote that 57 percent of the county’s released SVPs were placed in Jacumba Hot Springs and 71 percent of them are in District 2.
“I urge you to prevent Liberty Healthcare from continuing to focus SVP placement in communities such as Jacumba instead of doing the work to identify alternative placement locations in other areas of San Diego County,” Anderson wrote .
Bagwell said Liberty doesn’t choose any particular community for placements, but sparsely populated areas tend to have more housing that meets SVP requirements, such as not being close to schools.
Attorney Nancy Astifo, who appeared on Munoz’s behalf, said it was “completely understandable that there would be fear and apprehension when considering the release of a sexually violent predator.” “, but said Munoz had been treated for decades at Coalinga State Hospital.
“Mr. Munoz has made the necessary changes to no longer be considered a danger to the community,” she said. Astifo also noted that his conditions of release include GPS monitoring
24/7, which will alert Liberty staff if he leaves the residence. He can also only leave the residence with an escort, but cannot leave without permission from staff.
State hospital officials also recommended placing another SVP, Albert Carder, at the same Old Highway 80 address. The property includes two homes, so Munoz’s placement would not affect whether Carder could be there place.
Gill is expected to oversee a hearing regarding Carder’s potential placement on May 17.
California Daily Newspapers
