When Bruce Riley moved into a south Bakersfield neighborhood, Sheriff's deputies passed out posters warning residents that a paroled sexually violent predator was living on their block.
Nine months later, state parole agents thought it best not to tell the public when Riley cut the GPS monitoring device off his ankle, broke probation and went into hiding.
In fact, state parole officers didn't even tell local police.
KGET sent reporter Alex Valle to investigate.
Parole agents told Valle that the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation usually thinks it has a better chance of catching runaway parolees if there is no public outcry, which might make the parolee more careful about hiding.
''We don't normally notify the public,'' said Rodney Armstrong, administrator of the local CDCR parole division office. ''It's on a case-by-case basis. We look at the case, and if would aid us in finding the person, then we would think about notifying the public.
''Our number one priority is public safety,'' Armstrong said. ''We have to look at each case and decide if that would help or hinder us.''
The department thought it best not to notify the public when Riley cut the satellite tracking device off his ankle on March 21. The GPS device worked perfectly, sending an immediate alarm to agents, who checked the South Vineland Road group home where Riley was supposed to be living. He was gone.
Even though high-risk sex offenders are the responsibility of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the Bakersfield Police Department regularly sends detectives to check on them. That's how the BPD discovered Riley had gone into hiding.
As soon as word reached BPD top brass, the department issued a news release -- on Wednesday -- warning residents Riley was missing. Police released a photo and physical description and, on Thursday afternoon, a description of a motor home in which he might be traveling.
Below are the two Bakersfield Police Department public notices about the Riley case:
Wednesday, April 08, 2009
Sex Offender Being Sought
The Bakersfield Police Department is requesting the community’s assistance in
locating a registered sex offender who is out of compliance with sex offender
registration requirements and has also violated conditions of his parole.
The suspect:
Bruce Riley (52), white male, 6’5”, 265 lbs, brown hair and green
eyes,
left the group home he was residing at on 3/21/09.
The group home was at 5960 South Vineland Road. Riley is a registered sex offender; classified as a Sexual Violent Predator by the California Department of Justice.
He is on active parole and was being monitored by GPS through the California Department of Corrections.
An arrest warrant for parole violation has been obtained by the Department of
Corrections. The Bakersfield Police Department is currently conducting an
investigation regarding his failure to comply with sex offender registration
requirements. This investigation, when complete, will be forwarded to the Kern
County District Attorney’s Office.
Riley’s sex offender status is the result of a conviction for a 1979 kidnapping and
sexual assault of a child under the age of 14. Since that conviction, Riley has
had numerous other non sexual violent crime convictions.
Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to call Bakersfield Police at
661-327-7111.
Thursday, April 09, 2009
Sex Offender Being Sought - Update
The Bakersfield Police Department has obtained some additional information
regarding the registered sex offender, Bruce Riley, who is being sought for parole
violation.
He is possibly occupying and driving a:
1977 Cruise Air Motor home, blue and white in color.
The vehicle’s license plate number is unknown. His whereabouts are still
unknown.
Anyone with information is asked to call Bakersfield Police at 661-327-7111.
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