The question of where William Stephenson, a convicted sexually violent predator, will reside continues to stir controversy, as the Placer County Court has recently expanded its search for his placement into Sacramento County. Stephenson, with a criminal history including sexual battery and possession of child sex abuse material—offenses dating back to the 1980s and as recent as 2017—has been eligible for community release for the past two years, yet no suitable residence has been found within Placer County, according to KCRA.
Amid the ongoing search, opposition from Sacramento County is mounting, with Sheriff Jim Cooper voicing concerns about the potential risks to the local community, "Relocating a predator like Stephenson to Sacramento County puts our families, our children, and our most vulnerable citizens at unnecessary risk," Cooper said, in a statement obtained by KCRA. The Sacramento County District Attorney's office also highlighted the procedural issues with the transfer, with Assistant Chief Deputy District Attorney Dawn Bladet explaining, "This isn't a matter of Sacramento saying, you know, we don't want Mr. Stephenson, although based on his background, we don't. It's a matter of there's a process in place and you're not following the steps of the process. And so, we feel that we are being unfairly impacted in this particular case," as she told KCRA.
The legal intricacies of Stephenson's case are complex: Placer County, citing the inability to locate a suitable living situation for Stephenson within its own confines, has pointed to his family ties in Sacramento as a reason for the expanded search, references that the Sacramento County District Attorney's Office contests since Stephenson hasn't resided in Sacramento since the 1990s. The DA's office has also expressed their objections saying, "We do not want him to be released in transient status anywhere. It's never a good idea," as mentioned in a quote by Bladet to CBS Sacramento.
While a Placer County judge has granted the motion to expand the search into Sacramento County, it is important to note the Department of State Hospitals claimed they are still assessing a potential placement in Placer County, setting a tentative housing committee meeting ahead of the next review hearing scheduled for December 16, and yet, this ambiguity over Stephenson’s placement has continued to roil locals, leading to town halls and a strong pushback, Sheriff Gary Redman of Amador County expressed similar concerns earlier this year when the Department of State Hospitals considered placing Stephenson in his jurisdiction; his voicing opposition catalyzed a town hall that reflected the community's dissent according to KCRA. The search for a residence for Stephenson not only traverses the technical terrains of law and rehabilitation but hits the raw nerves of community safety and local agency—a delicate balance between the protocols of procedural justice and the imperative of public sovereignty over its sanctuaries.
