A hearing to confirm where a sexually violent predator will be placed in Spring Valley has been canceled, the San Diego Sheriff’s Department announced Thursday.
The public was originally invited to comment on a proposed home for convicted sexually violent predator Terry Stone on March 17 at San Diego Superior Court.
The sheriff’s department did not release a reason for the cancellation, but said it will notify the public if a new hearing is scheduled.
Last week, the Department of State Hospitals (DSH) issued a plan to place Stone at 2919 Millar Ranch Road in Spring Valley.
Stone is a diagnosed pedophile who was convicted in three separate cases for lewd and lascivious acts against five different victims who were between the ages of 6 and 11, according to the District Attorney’s Office website.
In 1994, he was sentenced to 19 years in prison, and in 2003, he was committed to the state hospital as a sexually violent predator.
Last December, the court determined that Stone could be released into the community for continued treatment and supervision.
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Since the DSH announcement, backlash started growing against Stone's proposed placement.
San Diego County Board of Supervisors Chair Dianne Jacob released an outraged statement Feb. 13:
"Enough is enough. This is the third time in recent months that the state has moved to dump a sexually violent predator in East County. This latest predator, Terry Stone, is a diagnosed pedophile who carried out lewd and lascivious acts against children. The state is now proposing to put him in our community, close to Steele Canyon High School. That’s outrageous. No community in any part of San Diego County would stand for that. As I’ve said before, if these vile men must be housed somewhere, the only sensible spot is outside the gates of Donovan State Prison, where other sexually violent predators have been placed."
Stone's proposed Millar Ranch Road address is on a 2.2-acre piece of private property. In addition to Steele Canyon High School, other nearby schools include Jamacha Elementary (1.8 miles northeast), Cuyamaca College (2.1 miles north), Hillsdale Middle School (2.2 miles north), Rancho San Diego Elementary (2.6 miles north) and Loma Elementary School (2.7 miles west).
The public can still submit comments on Stone’s proposed location by email sdsafe@sdsheriff.org, by calling 858-495-3619 or by mail at SVP Release/SAFE Task Force, 9425 Chesapeake Drive, San Diego, CA 92123.
