'Early Release Felons' Arrested During Three Week Operation

DOWNEY (CNS) - Twenty-one "early release'' felons with histories of sex offenses were arrested during a three-week operation that was described as the largest of its kind so far this year in Los Angeles County.

"Operation Tracker'' included 137 compliance checks and searches involving "AB 109'' felons who have histories of sex offenses, said Carol Lin of the Los Angeles County Department of Probation.

The people targeted in the sweep had been released from custody earlier than they would have been before the AB 109 guidelines went into effect.

In addition to the arrests, the operation resulted in the seizure of a number of computers, hard-drives and phones, along with heroin, methamphetamine and marijuana. Also, children were found in a residence shared by a person who had been convicted of sexual offenses against children, Lin said.

"When you go to a residence and you find children in the home, it elevates the situation,'' said Steven Howell, lead supervisor for the investigation. "It is no longer a `compliance check.' It is now an investigation. Your investigation focuses on the children.''

Probation Department Assistant Chief Margarita Perez said that, contrary to popular belief, "more than 61 percent (of the AB109 probationers) are assessed as high or very high risk.

"Only 1 to 2 percent are low-risk offenders. This is contrary to what we often hear in the media indicating these offenders are low risk. This is just not the case.''

From City News Service

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