Authorities in San Diego launched a search yesterday after 70-year-old Randy Seitzinger allegedly removed his court-ordered GPS monitor and failed to return from an approved medical pass at the Male Community Reentry Program in Barrio Logan. Staff at the facility picked up a tamper alert and alerted correctional officials, who started canvassing nearby streets and transit routes.
Seitzinger is described as 5 feet 8 inches tall, about 191 pounds, with a light complexion. He was last seen wearing blue jeans and a light-colored short-sleeved shirt.
According to 10News, staff received the tamper alert at about 3:50 PM, indicating that Seitzinger removed his GPS device while out on a community medical pass. The outlet reports that Seitzinger was received from Orange County on May 22, 2019, and is serving a 15-year sentence for second-degree robbery and false imprisonment with violence. 10News also notes that anyone who spots Seitzinger or has information on his whereabouts should call 911 or contact the CDCR Office of Correctional Safety at 760-550-8782.
How the reentry program works
The Male Community Reentry Program is a voluntary placement that lets eligible incarcerated people serve the last part of their sentences at community-based centers while they receive rehabilitation and transition services. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation says the program connects participants with services that include substance-use and mental-health treatment, employment assistance and housing support.
CDCR also notes that since 1977, about 99 percent of people who walk away from such placements are later apprehended. When a tamper alert is triggered, the department says its Office of Correctional Safety coordinates searches with local law enforcement.
Where searches usually focus in San Diego
The MCRP facility sits on the 2700 block of Boston Avenue in Barrio Logan, a neighborhood crisscrossed by major streets and transit lines and one that has seen multiple walkaway alerts in recent years. The area’s bus and trolley routes tend to become focal points when someone leaves custody without authorization.
Earlier reporting has highlighted similar patterns. In one case, an escaped inmate was found at a trolley station and returned to custody, Times of San Diego reported. In another, a man allegedly ditched a GPS monitor and disappeared from the same Barrio Logan reentry site, according to Hoodline.
Legal consequences
People who walk away from community reentry placements are typically re-admitted to state custody if found and can face additional legal trouble depending on the circumstances. Some of these cases are “referred to the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office for consideration of escape charges,” Times of San Diego reported. Prosecutors decide whether to file escape charges based on whether the facts meet the legal standards.
Authorities urged anyone who sees Seitzinger to call 911 or contact local law enforcement immediately. Tips can also be shared with the CDCR’s Office of Correctional Safety at 760-550-8782. As of yesterday, officials said the search remained active as investigators worked to track him down and protect public safety.
