Sultan sex offender denied move to San Juan County
Published 2:05 pm Wednesday, March 16, 2011
A sex offender living near Sultan has been making waves lately by requesting to move to San Juan County.
The state corrections department on Wednesday announced that David F. Stewart, 58, would not be allowed to move.
Stewart got out of prison last month after serving a seven-year sentence for rape of a child. He is under community supervision by the corrections department’s Everett office.
The corrections department explains it below:
A state law requires offenders to be released from prison to the county where they were convicted of their first felony unless they meet certain criteria. Stewart’s first conviction was in Snohomish County, but he requested to transfer to San Juan County where his wife owns a home in Friday Harbor. Community corrections officers investigated the home in Friday Harbor and considered other factors, including victim concerns and access to sex offender treatment. The community corrections officer denied the request.
“We carefully reviewed the offender’s request to move and determined that it’s in the best interest of public safety for him to remain in Snohomish County,” said Anmarie Aylward, Assistant Secretary of the Community Corrections Division. “We consider multiple factors, including access to treatment, family support, employment, victim concerns, community concerns and more. Ultimately, we base all of our decision on what’s best for public safety.”
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You can find him on the local sex offender registry here.
