7 ‘high-risk’ sex offenders released in California, DA warns
SANTA ANA, Calif. (WISH) — The Orange County District Attorney’s Office is warning residents after seven “high-risk” registered sex offenders were released from jail months early.
According to Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer, the offenders were released as a result of rulings made by Court Commissioner Joseph Dane.
The DA says many of the registered sex offenders were released after only spending days behind bars instead of the required six months. Those offenders should have spent a minimum of 180 days in jail because they tampered with their GPS monitors and tracking devices.
California law requires sex offenders to spend six months in jail if they violate their parole by removing or tampering with their tracking devices.
One of the sex offenders, who was convicted of sexual battery, was released in early April and ordered to report to parole. That same offender appeared in court two weeks later on another parole violation. He was again released after being sentenced to 16 days credit time served.
Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes on Tuesday reported to the Orange County Board of Supervisors that the jail system’s population had been reduced by nearly 45% in March and overcrowding was not an issue. He told the board that proper steps had been followed to maintain safety for inmates and employees amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
“These kinds of high-risk sex offenders are the most dangerous kind of criminal and the most likely to re-offend. They are doing everything they can to avoid detection by the parole officers assigned to monitor them so they can potentially commit additional sex offenses. These are not the kind of people who should be getting a break,” said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer in a news release on Tuesday. “As a state legislator, I was the author and founder of the State of California Sex Offender Management Board and the author of Megan’s Law on the Internet, which allows the public to see where these sex offenders are so that they can protect themselves and their families.”
The seven registered sex offenders who were released prior to the minimum sentence required by law for removing or disabling a GPS monitor include:
- Luis Joel Ramirez, 27, of Costa Mesa, Calif.
- James Franklin Bowling, 50, of Orange, Calif.
- Rudy William Grajeda Magdaleno, 39, of Anaheim, Calif.
- Calvin Curtis Coleman, 52, of Santa Ana, Calif.
- Kyle Albert Winton, 40, of Mission Viejo, Calif.
- Jose Adrian Oregel, 46, of Santa Ana, Calif.
- Mario Ernesto Sandoval, 45, of Stanton, Calif.
The offenders have been convicted of crimes ranging from child molestation and indecent exposure to sexual battery and assault.