A judge Friday ordered the release of sexually violent predator Gary Snavely to a home in the rural East County community of Jacumba Hot Springs.
Judge Louis Hanoian made the ruling after considering emails and other correspondence from residents opposing Snavely's release into San Diego's backcountry. San Diego County Supervisor Dianne Jacob also opposed placing Snavely in Jacumba.
Hanoian said Snavely, 51, will be closely monitored under the conditional release program.
"I understand the frustrations that people have," the judge said, noting that the home where Snavely will be living is isolated from neighbors and is a mile away from downtown.
The judge said the public will be protected from Snavely, and he will be protected from the public, calling the placement in Jacumba "a placement that will work."
In August, Hanoian determined that Snavely could be safely released in San Diego County as long as he continued to get treatment.
In a statement last month, Jacob said she was continuing to "stand with residents who oppose the placement of these despicable monsters in our community."
"These men are the worst of the worst and allowing yet another one in our neighborhoods is bad for public safety and bad for all of us taxpayers, who must cover the outrageous cost of housing these predators," the supervisor said.
In October, state hospital officials proposed placing Snavely in Borrego Springs, but that plan was withdrawn and replaced with the proposal to house Snavely in Jacumba Hot Springs.
Snavely was convicted in 1987 of molesting two Orange County girls younger than 10 and served three years in prison. He was released but violated his parole and was returned to prison.
In 1996 while living in San Diego after his release, Snavely was convicted of failing to register as a sex offender and was sentenced to 16 months behind bars.
Prior to his release from prison, the District Attorney's Office filed a petition to civilly commit Snavely as a sexually violent predator. In 1998, Snavely was found to be a sexually violent predator and was ordered to undergo treatment at a state mental hospital.
In 2008, the court granted Snavely's request for conditional release, but he was returned to the hospital several months later for medication misuse.
In April, Snavely filed a petition for conditional release, which Hanoian granted after hearing testimony from two mental health experts and reviewing reports from other experts.
Snavely is to be released by Feb. 20, the judge said.
