San Diego judge to decide on housing for two violent sex offenders

A San Diego Superior Court judge will soon decide whether to grant conditional release to two sexually violent predators and place them in homes in the rural community of Boulevard, about an hour east of downtown San Diego, according to the Times of San Diego.

The offenders, Reynaldo Delrosario and Michael Poulsom, were convicted of lewd acts involving children and have been diagnosed with pedophilia disorder. Both served prison sentences and were committed to the state hospital for treatment.

If released to Boulevard, they would join seven other violent sex offenders living in residential neighborhoods in backcountry San Diego. This would mean San Diego County houses more than half of California's sexually violent predators placed in the community.

San Diego County Supervisor Joel Anderson has proposed an alternative approach modeled after Washington State, where sexually violent predators live in group homes with 24-hour supervision. He argues this model offers better security and services while reducing risks to neighborhoods.

Judge Theodore Weathers will weigh these options, with Anderson hoping to persuade the court to pilot the group housing model to improve safety and freedom for the offenders without upsetting local residents.

The term sexually violent predator in California refers to individuals convicted of offenses like rape or sexual assault of children who have a diagnosed mental illness increasing their risk of reoffending, according to the Times of San Diego.