Sexually Violent Predator to Move Into Jacumba Home

A judge approves the proposal to move diagnosed pedophile Gary Snively into Jacumba

A judge has given the green light on the proposed placement of a sexually violent predator into a Jacumba home.

No community members showed up to give their opinion at Friday morning's hearing at the Downtown San Diego courthouse where Judge Louis Hanoian said he didn't find any legal barrier against the placement of 49-year-old Gary Snavely.

The diagnosed pedophile will now move into 45612 Old Highway 80 under a conditional release by Feb. 20.

The home is about a mile away from Jacumba Elementary School. There are about 600 people living in the area, according to the 2010 census.

In total, ten letters opposing the placement were submitted, including one from San Diego County Supervisor Dianne Jacob.

Judge Louis Hanoian said the decision was not made lightly. He said Snavely will be closely monitored and will get treatment. He doesn't believe Snavely is not a danger to society anymore.

The diagnosed pedophile was originally supposed to be placed in Borrego Springs by the Department of State Hospitals, but the landlord took back his offer to rent the property after finding out he would be renting to a sexually violent predator. The man currently renting was shocked to find about the proposed placement.

In 1987, Snavely was convicted of molesting two young girls in Orange County. The molestations included fondling and oral copulation. He served three years in prison. He was later arrested for a patrol violation.

After his release, he was convicted of failing to register as a sex offender in San Diego in 1996, for which he served 16 months.

Two years later, the District Attorney's Office won a petition to civilly commit Snavely to the state hospital as a sexually violent predator.

A judge granted Snavely’s petition for conditional release back in August.

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