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California Prosecutor Fights Deportation Of Paroled Sex Offenders
California Prosecutor Fights Deportation
Of Paroled Sex Offenders
Today, nobody wants to keep paroled sex offenders around. Except the Los Angeles County district attorney, that is.
In an odd "man bites dog" scenario, the district attorney is trying to retain four foreign nationals who were paroled in California after serving prison terms for sex offenses while their public defender is trying to have them deported. The district attorney argues that as sexual predators, they are a danger to society wherever they go so California should civilly commit them. The public defender counters that federal law requires deportation, and questions why California should pay for their expensive treatment.
Wesley Wheaton, a recently paroled child molester with a history of rape convictions, desires to be returned to his native Canada. Canada will accept him if he agrees to undergo treatment there. But upon parole, Wheaton was sent to the Los Angeles County Jail to await trial as a sexually violent predator (SVP). Although his public defender asked a state judge to release him to federal custody for deportation proceedings, the judge declined, saying that Immigration (who has a warrant for Wheaton's arrest as an illegal alien) is not actively pursuing his custody.
Wheaton's only hope is for Immigration to demand his custody, the judge ruled. Three other illegal immigrants from Mexico and Guatemala are likewise being detained and prosecuted as SVPs by the Los Angeles County district attorney.
Source: Los Angeles Times
Of Paroled Sex Offenders
Today, nobody wants to keep paroled sex offenders around. Except the Los Angeles County district attorney, that is.
In an odd "man bites dog" scenario, the district attorney is trying to retain four foreign nationals who were paroled in California after serving prison terms for sex offenses while their public defender is trying to have them deported. The district attorney argues that as sexual predators, they are a danger to society wherever they go so California should civilly commit them. The public defender counters that federal law requires deportation, and questions why California should pay for their expensive treatment.
Wesley Wheaton, a recently paroled child molester with a history of rape convictions, desires to be returned to his native Canada. Canada will accept him if he agrees to undergo treatment there. But upon parole, Wheaton was sent to the Los Angeles County Jail to await trial as a sexually violent predator (SVP). Although his public defender asked a state judge to release him to federal custody for deportation proceedings, the judge declined, saying that Immigration (who has a warrant for Wheaton's arrest as an illegal alien) is not actively pursuing his custody.
Wheaton's only hope is for Immigration to demand his custody, the judge ruled. Three other illegal immigrants from Mexico and Guatemala are likewise being detained and prosecuted as SVPs by the Los Angeles County district attorney.
Source: Los Angeles Times
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