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7 high-risk sex offenders released from Orange County jails; DA's office issues community warning

"These kinds of high-risk sex offenders are the most dangerous kind of criminal and the most likely to re-offend," the district attorney said.

Jessica De Nova Image
ByJessica De Nova KABC logo
Thursday, April 30, 2020
7 high-risk sex offenders released from Orange County jails
The Orange County District Attorney's Office announced that seven high-risk sex-offenders were recently released early from county jails.

SANTA ANA, Calif. (KABC) -- The Orange County District Attorney's Office on Tuesday issued a community warning after seven high-risk sex-offenders were recently released early from county jails.

The sex offenders were let out this month by Court Commissioner Joseph Dane despite being charged with tampering with their GPS monitoring devices, the D.A.'s office said in a news release.

"These kinds of high-risk sex offenders are the most dangerous kind of criminal and the most likely to re-offend," District Attorney Todd Spitzer said in a statement. "They are doing everything they can to avoid detection by the parole officers assigned to monitor them so they can potentially commit additional sex offenses. These are not the kind of people who should be getting a break.

Few of 3,500 California state prisoners released early were tested for COVID-19

The California state prison system released 3,500 non-violent inmates early to ease overcrowding behind bars, but not many of them were tested for COVID-19 before their release.

Spitzer accuses Dane of misusing pandemic emergency orders.

"This court commissioner is continuing to use his ability to cite the pandemic as a reason not to impose the mandatory 180 days," Spitzer said.

Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes contended that there was no reason for the early release because jails aren't currently overcrowded, adding that there are measures in place to allow for physical distancing and quarantining of inmates. Barnes reports his jail population is down by 45% since March 7.

"These inmates were released by court order, and are not in any way connected to the measures I have taken to limit the spread of COVID-19 in the Orange County Jail," Barnes said in a Wednesday statement. "We have responsibly created the capacity needed in the jail to house sex offenders and other dangerous criminals. I oppose efforts that excuse criminal behavior and jeopardize the safety of our community."

A spokesperson with the Orange County Superior Court says the court is bound by ethical rules and can't discuss any cases currently before the bench.

Meanwhile sexual abuse advocates with Waymakers encouraged survivors to contact the 24-hour hotline at (714) 957-2737.

The seven sex offenders, who were released between April 7 and April 22, were identified in the community warning issued by the D.A.'s office as:

  • Luis Joel Ramirez, 27, of Costa Mesa, who has a history of sexual battery, assault with a deadly weapon, resisting a peace officer, burglary and possessing a leaded cane, a deadly weapon, and who prosecutors say has violated his parole four times since 2019;
  • James Franklin Bowling, 50, of Orange, who has a history of lewd conduct in a public place, repeated convictions for failing to register as a sex offender, repeated convictions for being a sex offender on school grounds, possession of a controlled substance and paraphernalia, and has allegedly violated parole twice since February;
  • Rudy William Grajeda Magdaleno, 39, of Anaheim, who has a history of child molestation, indecent exposure, assault, battery, criminal threats, and inflicting injury on an elder adult, and who prosecutors say has violated parole five times since 2017;
  • Calvin Curtis Coleman, 52, of Santa Ana, who has a history of lewd conduct in a public place and has allegedly violated parole three times since 2019;
  • Kyle Albert Winton, 40, of Mission Viejo, who has a history of child molestation, criminal threats to cause great bodily injury or death, resisting a peace officer, DUI and hit and run with property damage, and has allegedly violated parole once;
  • Jose Adrian Oregel, 46, of Santa Ana, who has a history of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor, oral copulation of a person under the age of 18, great bodily injury, and being a second striker, and who prosecutors claim has violated parole six times since June of 2019; and
  • Mario Ernesto Sandoval, 45, of Stanton, who has a history of sexual battery, touching for sexual arousal, indecent exposure, assault on a peace officer and assault, and allegedly violated parole once this year.
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