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East County News Service
November 27, 2024 (Jacumba Hot Springs) – Yesterday, sexually violent predator Merle Wakefield was conditionally released from Coalinga State Hospital as a transient. He has been temporarily placed at a home at 42920 Desert Rose Ranch in Jacumba Hot Springs.
He will have 24-hour supervision by Liberty Healthcare, a private company contracted by the state. There are several conditions for his release, including that Liberty Healthcare will provide a security employee to accompany Wakefield on a 24 hour a day, 7 days a week basis.
A judge ordered Wakefield released temporarily after several other attempts to place him in East County communities failed following outpourings of community opposition. He was convicted of rape and lewd acts with a child, and was designated a sexually violent predator.
His release as a transient was opposed by Supervisor Joel Anderson and others, however Wakefield has served his sentence in state prison as well as years in a state hospital, so is legally entitled to be released.
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