SAN DIEGO (NEWS 8) - Community members gathered together Sunday in an effort to keep a sexually violent predator out of the East County.
Earlier this month, a judge ordered the release of Alvin Ray Quarles from a treatment program to a home in Jacumba Hot Springs where he'll be closely supervised as part of a conditional release program. The judge ordered Quarles to be placed in the Jacumba Hot Springs residence by Nov. 30.
Sunday evening, community members held a meeting to discuss appealing that decision. They have started a petition against the release of Quarles.
Quarles, 56, was called the "Bolder-Than-Most" rapist because he attacked his victims at knifepoint, sometimes forcing the women's husbands or boyfriends to watch.
Quarles pleaded guilty in 1989 to committing more than a dozen sexual assaults in the mid-to-late 1980s and was sentenced to 50 years in prison.Prior to Quarles' release from prison, the District Attorney's Office filed a petition to have him civilly committed as a sexually violent predator.
In 2014, Quarles was committed to the Department of State Hospitals to undergo sex offender treatment. In September 2016, Quarles petitioned the court to be granted release through the Conditional Release Program for sex offenders. Two months ago, the Department of State Hospitals proposed placing Quarles at a residence at 43050 Desert Rose Ranch Road, about four miles from the downtown area of Jacumba Hot Springs.
Alvin Ray Quarles will be sent back to Coalinga State Hospital if he violates any terms of his conditional release, said Superior Court Judge David Gill.
On Monday, the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office gave the following statement and motion to News 8:
Alvin Quarles is a dangerous predator and the District Attorney’s Office will continue to use every legal avenue at its disposal to protect the community. Our office had been researching our options and today we filed a motion to have the judge reconsider releasing Quarles into the community.
The District Attorney’s Office has strongly and repeatedly opposed the release of Mr. Quarles into the community based upon his prior crimes and the danger we believe he poses to the community. We’ve also opposed his release based on the fact that the doctor who conducted Mr. Quarles’ annual review, the director of Coalinga State Hospital, and the director of CONREP (conditional release program) were all three opposed to a finding that he could safely be treated in the community.
In spite of our arguments, the court ultimately disagreed with our assessment and ruled that Mr. Quarles could safely be treated in the community. We are now asking the court to reconsider its decision to release Mr. Quarles into the community of Jacumba Hot Springs, as well as its decision to release Mr. Quarles from Coalinga State Hospital to be supervised in the community.
Our office is committed to protecting the public and working with individuals who were victimized by this defendant.
The motion below will be argued Friday.
News 8's Richard Allyn reports from downtown San Diego with the latest developments
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