Stanislaus sheriff turns to Instagram to oppose sexually violent predator release in Turlock

MIKE, GOOD MORNING AND LET’S START WITH THE OUTSIDE THE COURTHOUSE. WE’RE HERE AT THE STANISLAUS COUNTY COURTHOUSE AND RIGHT OUTSIDE YOU COULD SEE THIS RALLY UNDERWAY. THE SIGNS ALL HERE PROTESTING AND TRYING TO PROTECT CHILDREN IN THE COMMUNITY NEAR TURLOCK. BECAUSE OF THE ISSUE REGARDING ONE MAN. TAKE A LOOK. THIS IS KEVIN SCOTT GRAY. HE WAS COMMITTED TO A STATE HOSPITAL AFTER COMPLETING PRISON TIME FOR BEING LABELED A SEXUALLY VIOLENT PREDATOR FOR MULTIPLE AND REPEATED ACTS OF SEXUAL MOLESTATION OR MISCONDUCT, WITH CASES DATING ALL THE WAY BACK TO 1974. NOW, RIGHT NOW, STATE LOOKING AT THE POSSIBILITY OF RELEASING GRAY FROM THE STATE HOSPITAL INTO A COMMUNITY NEIGHBORING THE CITY OF TURLOCK. AND THAT IS WHY DEMONSTRATORS ARE OUT HERE OUTSIDE THE COURTHOUSE THIS MORNING. MEANWHILE, INSIDE THE COURTROOM, THE SHERIFF SAYS THE STANISLAUS COUNTY PROSECUTORS WILL BE ASKING A JUDGE FOR A, QUOTE, REVOCATION HEARING. THAT HEARING, AIMED AT REVOKING GRAY’S CONDITIONAL RELEASE BACK INTO THIS COMMUNITY. DEMONSTRATORS ARGUING THERE’S A BETTER WAY TO DEAL WITH PREDATORS. I’M A MOM. I HAVE TWO SMALL KIDS. IT’S MY LITTLE COMMUNITY THAT I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN, AND NO MATTER WHERE THOSE PREDATORS GET PLACED, THERE’S GOING TO BE KIDS ALL AROUND THEM AND WE HAVE TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN. I UNDERSTAND PEOPLE SERVING THEIR SENTENCES, BUT WHENEVER A DOCTOR IS SAYING THEY WILL REOFFEND, THAT’S ENOUGH TO HOLD THEM AND KEEP THEM OUT OF YOUR COMMUNITY. EXACTLY. WE’LL KEEP THEM OUT OF ALL OF OUR COMMUNITIES. AND AGAIN, THIS RALLY UNDERWAY RIGHT NOW OUTSIDE THE STANISLAUS COUNTY COURTHOUSE, THOSE RALLYING HERE SAYING THIS ISSUE IS BIGGER THAN JUST THIS ONE SEXUALLY VIOLENT PREDATOR, THOUGH, AS YOU HEARD THEY SAY, THERE HAS TO BE A BETTER SYSTEM FOR DEALING WITH PREDATORS WHO HAVE SERVED THEIR TIME, BUT STILL MAY BE CONSIDERED A RISK TO RE-OFFEND ONCE THEY’RE RELEASED BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY. SO THIS RALLY MORE THAN JUST ABOUT THIS ONE INDIVIDUAL WHO MAY BE RELEASED TO TURLOCK, BUT THAT IS THE MORE IMMEDIATE CONCERN FOR THESE PEOPLE TODAY, LIVE IN MODESTO THIS MORNING. MIKE TESELLE KCRA THREE NEWS. MIKE, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LIVE REPORT THIS MORNING. AND THE SHERIFF SUGGESTED THAT THAT RELEASE WOULD NOT HAPPEN FOR SEVERAL WEEKS AT THE EARLIEST, SINCE MORE PUBLIC HEARINGS WOULD B

The Stanislaus County Sheriff turned to social media to urge opposition to the release of a sexually violent predator into a community near Turlock.On Monday, the case of Kevin Gray returned to the courtroom."I want to take this opportunity to give you an update on the potential release of the sexually violent predator, Kevin Gray," began the Instagram post from Stanislaus County Sheriff Jeff Dirkse.Stanislaus County prosecutors were in court Monday morning for a revocation hearing aimed at preventing the release of Gray. However, the judge continued the case for further proceedings to July 22 at 8:30 a.m.Gray served prison time for sex crimes against minors before being committed to a state hospital, where he is set to be released, Dirkse said."Essentially, the question is, has he been rehabilitated or not? It is clearly my position as the sheriff and of our district attorney that he has not been rehabilitated and should not be released in our community," Dirkse said.A group of more than a dozen concerned community members, such as Jack Griffith, stood outside the courtroom holding signs protesting the impending release of Gray and advocating for a better way to deal with predators who may re-offend."I understand people serving sentences, but when a doctor says he will offend ... We need to keep them out of all our communities," Griffith said.During Monday's court proceeding, the judge took issue with the leak of the potential address where Gray would be released. She called that a violation of a court order, although it was not clear who shared the privileged information.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app.

The Stanislaus County Sheriff turned to social media to urge opposition to the release of a sexually violent predator into a community near Turlock.

On Monday, the case of Kevin Gray returned to the courtroom.

"I want to take this opportunity to give you an update on the potential release of the sexually violent predator, Kevin Gray," began the Instagram post from Stanislaus County Sheriff Jeff Dirkse.

Stanislaus County prosecutors were in court Monday morning for a revocation hearing aimed at preventing the release of Gray. However, the judge continued the case for further proceedings to July 22 at 8:30 a.m.

Gray served prison time for sex crimes against minors before being committed to a state hospital, where he is set to be released, Dirkse said.

"Essentially, the question is, has he been rehabilitated or not? It is clearly my position as the sheriff and of our district attorney that he has not been rehabilitated and should not be released in our community," Dirkse said.

A group of more than a dozen concerned community members, such as Jack Griffith, stood outside the courtroom holding signs protesting the impending release of Gray and advocating for a better way to deal with predators who may re-offend.

"I understand people serving sentences, but when a doctor says he will offend ... We need to keep them out of all our communities," Griffith said.

During Monday's court proceeding, the judge took issue with the leak of the potential address where Gray would be released. She called that a violation of a court order, although it was not clear who shared the privileged information.

See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app.

Stanislaus sheriff turns to Instagram to oppose sexually violent predator release in Turlock

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