SAN DIEGO (CNS) - Two women victimized by the "Bolder Than Most" serial rapist went public Friday to protest the possible imminent release of the defendant, who pleaded guilty in 1989 and was sentenced to 50 years in prison.
Cynthia Medina and Mary Taylor said they were told by prosecutors at the time that Alvin Ray Quarles would serve 50 years behind bars and wouldn't be released until he was 77.
Medina recently heard some prisoners may be released early and checked to see if Quarles was among them, said attorney Gloria Allred.
"To her horror, (Medina) learned by contacting victim services at the prison that (Quarles) would be released on Nov. 16. 2013, after serving only half of his prison term," Allred told reporters.
San Diego prosecutors found out about Quarles' pending release by reading "an interview that Cynthia had given about the early release ...," according to Allred.
The District Attorney's Office filed a petition seeking a civil involuntary commitment of Quarles. A judge Friday scheduled a Dec. 19 probable cause hearing to determine if Quarles is a sexually violent predator, and a jury trial could follow.
Medina and Taylor said the District Attorney's Office failed to inform them 25 years ago of the true consequences of Quarles' plea and failed to tell them the truth about the sentence he would actually serve.
"I feel that the sentence he has served so far is not long enough," Medina said. "After all, I pay every day for what he did to me. It never goes away. He should have to continue to pay for what he has done to me."
Taylor -- the daughter of a former Rockland County, N.Y., prosecutor -- said she "knew to ask the question, 'What does 50 years really mean?"'
"The response I received was, '50 means 50. Trust me. This guy is not getting out of prison until he is in his 70s," according to Taylor.
"To my horror, this summer I learned that Quarles was scheduled to be released Nov. 16, 2013, at age 51, 25 years ahead of schedule," Taylor said.
The District Attorney's Office issued the following statement Friday:
"Protecting our community from sexually violent predators is a priority for the D.A.'s Office and we're working diligently to have this defendant committed to a state hospital for an indeterminate term.
"We share the serious concerns voiced today about the public's safety and the previous state law that unfortunately allowed for this early release," the statement continued. "As a result, we're working closely with the victims in this case who deserve the peace of mind that this convicted rapist won't be able to harm anyone in the future."