Convicted sex predator to be released in Placer County over DA's objection, prosecutors say

[P. Coonan]

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William Stephenson is set to be conditionally released in Placer County.
He is a convicted sexually violent predator. ROSEVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT

A Placer County judge granted the conditional release of a convicted
sexually violent predator as a transient during a court proceeding Monday,
the Placer County District Attorney’s Office said, despite local
prosecutors’ objections to such a release.

William Stephenson, 67, was convicted in 1991 of sexual battery, oral
copulation by force or fear, assault and sexual penetration of victim with
foreign object by force, according to California’s Megan’s Law database.

He was last released in 2014 and arrested again 2017 in Roseville for
child pornography charges, according to news reports from the time.
Stephenson is currently in custody of the Department of State Hospitals.

Sexually violent predators, under state law, are those convicted of
certain sexual offenses who have “served their entire original sentence
but remained committed to a state hospital due to their risk of
dangerousness,” Placer County prosecutors said in a news release.

In January 2022, a Placer Superior Court Judge made a ruling approving the
conditional release of Stephenson, over the objection of the DA.

“The Placer County District Attorney’s Office has vehemently opposed
Stephenson’s release throughout all court proceedings,” the District
Attorney’s Office said in a news release.

Because of Stephenson’s status, the court in 2022 tasked the Department of
State Hospitals to do a housing search prior to his release. The state
subcontracted with a private company, Liberty Healthcare, to fulfill this
requirement, the news release said.

Liberty Healthcare said in a court proceeding that it could purchase an RV
at taxpayer expense for Stephenson prior to his release, according to the
news release.

After searching for nearly a year, Stephenson’s defense attorney filed a
motion with the court in December 2022, citing concerns over Stephenson’s
due process rights and asking the court to release Stephenson as a
transient since stable housing for him could not be found.

“The Placer County District Attorney’s office again opposed Stephenson’s
transient release,” the District Attorney’s Office said. “The judge at the
time even expressed concerns about transient release.”

Stephenson’s placement will be addressed at his next hearing 8:30 a.m.
Sept. 1 in Placer Superior Court. The hearing is open to the public.

The Placer County Public Defender’s Office was not immediately available
for comment Tuesday.

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